Page 40 of Slayin Villain
“Yeah,” I whispered, tears burning my eyes.“Fuck.”
He stepped toward me, reached for my hand, then stopped like he didn’t know if he had the right anymore.
“Rachel…”
“No,” I said, backing up.“You don’t get to come here and accuse me, then touch me like that fixes everything.”
“I didn’t mean…”
“You never mean.That’s your whole thing, Villain.You don’t mean to hurt me.You don’t mean to sleep with someone else.You don’t mean to keep me waiting while you decide if I’m worth something.”
His hands clenched into fists.“You are worth something.”
“Then why do I feel disposable?”
We stood there in silence, the tension thick enough to choke on.
Finally, he muttered, “I need time.”
I nodded, trying not to let him see how badly that broke me.
“Take all the time you want,” I said.“But don’t expect me to wait around while you decide if being a father fits your aesthetic.”
I turned away, walked to the door, and opened it wide.
“Get out.”
He hesitated.
Then left without another word.
And this time, I didn’t cry.
I just stood there, palm pressed to my stomach, and whispered to the tiny flutter of life inside me, “You’re mine.That’s enough.”
Chapter 16
Villain
I rode like the devil was nipping at my heels.Maybe he was.
Hell, maybe I was the devil.
My front tire spit gravel when I hit the turn outside Royal Road, throttle wide open, wind screaming in my ears louder than the thoughts I couldn’t shut off.
Rachel’s voice haunted me.
“You don’t get to come here and accuse me, then touch me like that fixes everything.”
I gripped the bars tighter.
My chest still ached from the way she’d looked at me.Not angry.Not even sad.
Just… done.
And I wasn’t ready for her to be done.
But I couldn’t promise her a damn thing.Not with this patch-over fresh and weighing on my shoulders like a fucking tombstone.Not with Kingpin riding my ass and every outlaw between Nashville and Knoxville watching me like I might break formation.
