Page 59 of Make Me Trust Again
Neither of them notices me; they’re too lost in whatever they’re fighting about. He stands taller, looming over her, anger and hostility radiating off of him in waves, and now I’ve had enough.
“Is there a problem?”
Both of them turn in my direction at the sound of my voice. Rose’s eyes are wide, face pale. Her asshole of an ex just narrows his gaze on me, clearly annoyed that I’ve interrupted them.
Tough luck, buddy.
He gives me a once-over, the vein in his forehead pulsing as he grinds his molars.
“I’m just talking to mywife,” John growls at the same time Rose says, “He was just leaving.”
John turns around, his knuckles turning white as the grip he has on her hand tightens. “We… done ta?—”
He’s muttering under his breath, and with his back to me, it’s hard to figure out his words. Not that I need to hear him to know he’s pissed.
“I think the lady was clear.”
John lets her hand drop as he spins on his heels and points his finger at me.
“This is none of your concern, Williams, so why don’t you go back to the hole you crawled out of?” His cheeks are red as he spits out, glaring at me.
I cross my arms over my chest, not scared in the slightest by his threats. “Considering you’re on my property, I’d beg to differ. Now get the hell off my land before I call the sheriff and report you for trespassing.” I let my voice drop, so only he can hear me. “And tell him something about how you’re treating the mother of your child.”
His nostrils flare as he works his jaw. A part of me wants him to snap, so I can have a reason to punch his pompous face. We just stare at one another. Unblinking. Unmoving. The secondstick by slowly, and the soft buzzing in my eardrums intensifies as I hold his gaze.
He’s the first to look away. He spins on his heels and says something to Rose before he turns around to leave. Or he would, if I didn’t check him with my shoulder. He sucks in a breath as I tilt my head to the side. Now that we’re standing toe to toe, I am the one looming over him by a few inches, and he knows it.
John glares at me, doing nothing to hide the disgust on his face at seeing my scars all close and personal. Fucking asshole.
“You put your hands on her like that again, and I’ll break every single one of your fucking fingers.” I lean closer to him and whisper softly, “Now get the hell off my property, and don’t dare come back here without being invited.”
His teeth grind together before he spits. “Fuck you.”
With that, he stomps away. I watch as he slides into his truck and slams the door shut with a loud bang before starting the engine. He reverses so quickly, the gravel flies from the movement as he drives off.
Only when I’m sure he’s gone do I turn around to look at the woman standing on the porch.
There is a distant expression on Rose’s face as she watches down the gravel road where the car was only seconds ago. She shakes her head, her lips pressing together as she turns around, her eyes landing on mine. Her throat bobs as she swallows and forces out a smile. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize he?—”
“Don’t you dare apologize for him.”
Rose’s eyes flare in surprise at my harsh tone. “How can I not? Not only did he come here uninvited, but he was also extremely rude.” She runs her fingers through her hair. “None of which you signed up for.”
Her face twists in pain as she lets her hand drop. The fingers of her other hand wrap around her wrist, rubbing gently.
“What’s wrong?” My eyes narrow at her, my feet moving before I can think twice about it. In two steps, I’m standing in front of her.
“Oh, it’s noth?—”
I gently brush her fingers away and lift her hand up, and what I find makes the anger that was simmering inside me the moment I saw what was going on, the one I’ve been barely holding onto until now, as it is, come rushing up to the surface.
“What the fuck?—”
Deep red marks are marring her flesh, and I can already see the first signs of a bruise forming on her skin. My body is tense, and it takes everything in me to keep my hand relaxed so I don’t hurt her even more.
“It’s fine. It’ll disappear.”
Disappear?
