When I think back to that night, I can’t believe I let his words get to me. What would life have been like over the last few years if I had stuck to my guns and kept her with me like I wanted?
Stroking her hair away from her face, I lean down and press my lips to her warm, soft cheek ever so gently, and whisper, “I’m not letting you go again.”
Her father can hate me, fuck, she can hate me, but I’m going to do now what I should have done back then.
Luca has it all. He has Tor, his son, and the patch.
I can have it all too.
It doesn’t take me long to find out what Luca wants to know about the property out back. It belongs to a Mr. Chadwick. It used to be a sneaker factory, and it shut down in the mid 90’s. It’s been up for sale a few times, but no one’s obviously bought it. Chadwick still lives in the city and is eighty-seven years old. I scribble down the address as the chair next to mine scrapes against the floor.
“Are you ready to talk?”
I power down the laptop and shove it aside. “What exactly do you want to know?”
Her cheeks redden with anger and knowing her as well as I do, I can see her patience is wearing thin.
Before she can say a word, I pull her chair closer to mine and lean in close. Wisps of her hair tickling the side of my face.
“I’m not going to make the same mistake with you. You belong to me, always have, always will. I’ll make it right with you…”
“You have got to be kidding me,” she laughs. “We’re not talking about this again. I just want to know what the fuck happened last night and then I’m gone. I’m already late for today’s classes.”
“We’re going to talk about it till you agree to be my mine again.”
She sighs heavily and pushes up from her chair.
“I don’t want to be with someone I don’t recognise anymore. I’m sorry I ever fell in love with you.”
“Say it enough times and I might one day fuckin’ believe you,” I bellow.
“I do, I fucking hate you and I’m sorry I ever fell in love with you.”
The words cut so deep the stinging pain covers every inch of my body.
“I still don’t believe you.”
She screams in frustration and shoves at me.
“You always do that. I hate it. I hate you.”
She goes to shove me again, but I clasp her wrists in my grip and pull her toward me.
“You fuckin’ love me, you always will and that’s what you’re hating right now.”
“I really don’t, Ford.”
“No? Why are you needlessly jealous then? Huh? Tell me that.”
“I’m not jealous. If you want to flirt with some skank, then go right ahead. But I’m not going to stick around and watch.”
I sigh. “I didn’t fuckin’ flirt with her. I smiled because she said hello… to the both of us.”
I see the moment she relents. Her shoulders sag and she slumps her ass down onto the curb.
“What’s really going on, babe? You don’t do crazy, it’s not who you are, what gives?”
I sit beside her and wrap my arm around her.
