Page 10 of Sinful as They Come
“Brodie’s not that bad...” I thought about how excited Brodie had been to be working on the paper. He was a good guy. Not like Sawyer at all.
“I don’t want you hanging around him,” Carter said lowly. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. “I don’t like it. Not one little bit.”
I sighed and leaned over in my seat. Carter had a bit of a temper when it came to Sawyer. They had always clashed, and I knew it wasn’t easy forCarter to see me hang out with Brodie of all people considering who his cousin was. I wrapped my arms around Carter, pressing my lips to his cheek. I gave him a kiss. Then another one. Before he finally turned his head and moved his lips to mine. He kissed at me eagerly and I hummed against him.
“I’m sorry.” I pouted. “I just needed another writer. I should have talked to you more about it. There’s no one else to do all the sports articles and Brodie seemed right for the role.”
“Those pricks can’t be trusted, Holly,” he told me lowly. “I don’t care how right for the role that little long-haired freak is.”
I just nodded, giving him a soft kiss. I didn’t know how else to calm him down.
“Next time: tell me what you’re doing.” His eyes had grown a little darker as he stared, not blinking as he spoke. “Don’tgo behind my back.”
“Okay. I promise.”
Carter sighed loudly, turning on the engine. He looked ahead of him, shifting the car into drive as we moved out of the parking lot. He didn’t say anything again. Just kept his eyes on the road. Sometimes he’d put a hand on me and grip my thigh tight. But his hands were nowhere near me.
“Ya know…” He finally ended the silence.
I looked over at him with big eyes and a bright smile. Maybe we’d go to the diner after all? Maybe we’d forget all about Sawyer and just spend the afternoon together sharing a milkshake before he drove me home as the sun set and the sky turned all pretty and pink?
“I should have just let you walk home.” He finally finished his sentence.
I felt myself slump in my seat. Carter did that sometimes – made me walk places when he was mad at me. He didn’t do it that often. I could count on one hand how many times it had happened – but still. I hated being punished. Especially when it was for something I had no control over. But Carter was my world and his smile was sometimes the only thing getting me through my busy days. His bright eyes and deep voice and comforting hugs were what I thought of late at night, so excited to see him the next day.
There was only one thing to do.
Apologize.
“I’m sorry,” I said ashamedly. “It won’t happen again.”
“It better not.”
More silence. That time: so much more uncomfortable. No, it waspainful. And Sawyer was the one responsible for it. Sawyer and his stupid, big mouth. God, I hated him. Always had. Always would. Nothing good came from that boy. Not a thing.
Chapter 4
SAWYER
I slammed the front door harder than I needed to. Bad habit, but fuck it, I was pissed. There was one easy way to get on my bad side. One sure fire way to piss me off – and that was bringing upthatpart of my life.
“Trailer Park Trash,” I bitterly repeated the words Carter said to me.
I eyed the wooden paneling on the walls of the trailer that I called home. It was cramped, but I had done my best to make it look like a home for as long as I could remember. The gray three-seater couch was covered in a few blankets to make an attempt at a cozy environment. It somewhat worked. Directly across from the lounge was our TV. It was old and second hand, and you had to beat the side of it two or three times to get a decent picture, but it got the job done.
Standing in front of the couch meant you could look right into the kitchen. That was on the smaller side, the walls covered in an array of cabinets that were often empty and in need of stocking up. Same thing could be said for the magnet covered fridge. Under the cabinets sat the oval-shaped dining table. It was barely used. No fun, wholesome family dinners had been ever shared there.
I hated almost everything about the place I called home. It had been housing me and my dad for the last eighteen years – and just my luck, it was his name on the lease agreement. Kicking his ass out wasn’t an option.
Moving out cost money too. Money I didn’t have. ‘Cause that meant starting over. I’d get there one day, though. Nottomorrow. But soon. I had to. I was saving up for that sweet day where I could leave and never see my dad’s face ever again.
The trailer was small and old and was in need of a serious renovation. I had done my best to fix the small problems: the jammed doors and the faulty wiring and the AC going to hell. Dad was no help, but I kept the place clean and relatively livable.
People thought it was a dump.
But it wasmydump.
And I fucking hated it when people brought it up. Guys like Carter didn’t get it. Assholes like him had everything handed to him. Same with his little girlfriend. Fuck the both of them. They deserved each other.
