Page 98 of Toxic Kiss

There is no way in hell I’m telling him that Charles proposed without one because he wants to give me his grandmother’s ring. But his mother doesn’t approve of me and won’t give it to him. Charles has been too busy to buy a different one.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It is when I tell you that I want you, and you blow me off using the engagement as an excuse.”

I turn and stare him down, anger filling me. It’s building like pressure in a kettle, and steam is already coming out of my ears. Standing, I begin to pace back and forth along the edge of the pool.

“Why are you doing this? For fuck’s sake, Cy, you’ve always hated me. You even made a point of telling everyone. Hell, you practically put it in the school’s morning announcements. I was forced to go the long way to every class just to avoid you in the halls. I hid out at lunch, so I could eat my food rather than wear it. It became second nature to stay in my bedroom just to get some peace. Oh, I can’t forget your stunt on the Jack Malone show. Everyone who watches late-night TV saw that. I’m trying to live my life, can you just let me? For once, can you try to…not be you?”

He slowly stands and walks toward me. My immediate reaction is to move far away from the water before he pushes me in and laughs. I lift my chin and straighten my spine. My determination not to look weak is the only thing holding me in place.

Instead of agreeing or leaving, he suddenly cups my cheeks.

“I do hate you. I hate how you make me feel, how you call me out on my bullshit, and how you never back down from a fight.”

My pulse hammers, goosebumps racing along my arms, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

“I hate how you always stand up for what’s right, even when it’s the unpopular choice. I hate how you look out for everyone and make me feel like I’m the most inconsiderate asshole in the world just by being you.”

“Well, you are an inconsiderate asshole, that’s not up for debate,” I grumble, and he smiles.

“I’m not that guy anymore, Butterfly.”

I look away. Whenever he calls me that, I feel like I can soar. But it always leads to him ripping out my heart while he tears the wings from my back.

“You don’t get to be my safe place now, Cy. Not after everything you’ve done.”

“I never wanted to be safe, Haven,” he murmurs.

“I can’t do this again with you. Do you even remember how many times you let me believe we’d moved past the insults, teasing, and bullying, only for you to yank the rug out from under me? I always gave you the benefit of the doubt because I saw that you were hurting and had a good heart. But I can’t do it anymore.”

I step out of his reach.

“You’re mine, Haven. I meant it the first time, and I’ll keep saying it until you get it through your head,” he says, and I shake my head in disbelief. “I let you go once. But I’ll never do it again,” he says like a threat.

My heart pounds out of control, and my mind goes blank as to what to say.

“I can’t do this right now,” I say, turning to leave.

“Haven…stay. I have something I need to tell you.”

I stop even though everything in me is screaming to run. Run as fast as I can and don’t look back.

“Charles is cheating on you, and I have proof.”

Fuck, I slowly turn and glare at Cy.

“Really?” I throw my hands in the air and let them fall. “I knew you’d do this. You throw me a life preserver only to shove me into the pool and hold my head under the water. You’re good at that,” I say, using an actual moment we shared to accentuate my point.

It works. He crosses his arms and looks away.

“What do you get from doing this? You can have any girl. Hell, you could probably have multiple at the same time. Why?” My voice rises with the turmoil he’s creating and the fear that he’s also right. “Why do you want to hurt me so badly?”

“I don’t want to hurt you. At least not anymore.” He runs his hand through his hair and then walks past me.

“Are you serious? You drop that bomb and then walk away?”

He heads to one of the small tables by the pool and picks up a thick brown envelope. He holds it up like a prize, but his face remains emotionless.