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Zel’s bottory to livid "You think I can’t take care of her on h to swoop in and fix everything?" She dragged hands through her hair, barely holding onto the tears shi in her eyes "What part of ‘I don’t want you near her’ didn’t you understand?"

I advanced, forcing her to take a step back "I understand perfectly You’re a fucking hypocrite Oneyou have even when all I do is take, and the next you want to withhold everything from me and paint me as the devil Don’t think I haven’t noticed howsaint to even speak to inning that I sense things people try to hide"

Grabbing her elbow, I held her tight "Letin sorrow You look at that little girl as if she’s the most precious dia her And that cough? You reacted as if she could die instead of it being a si you aren’t telling o of me, you bastard You think you’re so clever, but you don’t know anything You don’t knohat it’s like to be a single parent To be solely a er a person who can chase their hopes and dreams You didn’t have your life turned upside down by an accident only to have that accident be the best fucking thing to ever happen to you"

"Didn’t I? Haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve been saying? I’ve been a fucking prisoner since I was six years old You’re the only person I’ve been close to inof ivesorry excuse for a life?"

I shoved her away My heart bolted around ht I needed to throw e

Fuck!

Zel stood glaring, panting hard Her eyes flew up the corridor where Clara had disappeared I didn’t worry she wasn’t visible There was nothing but statues to entertain and no way out unless she came back this way

"You’re impossible," she ive you the re one hundred thousand now if it’ll help sway you Hell, I’ll triple it if you stay I’ll give you anything you want--just agree to stay for a few days at least"

Zel shifted, eyes darting around the space, searching for answers "A few days?"

I wanted to sigh in relief I’d won This " It wasn’t, but she didn’t need to know that

Zel sluht fizzled fronored the soft defeat in her voice andI just want the opportunity to share your daughter--if only for a brief while"

A crush of vulnerability filled me, and I dropped my head I was tired So tired "Please…I need her inhard, I captured her hand and relaxed a little when the conditioning stayed blessedly absent "Please, Hazel I’ll give you anything you want I’ll pay you any sum you desire Just stay Give er "You think I’m that shallow? That you can throw money at me and allow you to buyprice tag, you idiot You could offer ht you’d hurt her"

"I swear on er to hurt her You have h You can’t pro out my heart and slap it into her hands Then she’d knohope she offered

She ran hands through her long hair, her perfect breasts rising and falling with rage "What you did to me, Fox…that…that’s not natural You shouldn’t have such strong triggers that er to anyone who coain? What if I’ her into chunks? You don’t trust yourself I don’t trust you, and I sure as hell don’t trust you around the reason for o to, school to attend It’s not a sier fed rowled, "It’s obvious you don’t trust htest You hid her from me You’ve kept every part of your life a secret fro need for pain just a little "You know a lotabout you is ahurts to think I don’t deserve to hear a little about your past or who you truly are"

Looking to where Clara had run to, I lowered ned the contract because you wanted me Because you felt what I did--that you were drawn to me And yet, I’ve e your attention, but no matter what I do, you look atmy cock You pushed me until I lost control And then you condemn me when I don’t respond to your crazy form of therapy

"I need time I know I need help, but you don’t care about ether, hating my slip--I’d shown my weakness

Her mouth fell open "You think I don’t care about you?" Her eyes flashed with e closer, she drove me backward "You’re stupid as well as screwed up Answerback? Why the hell can’t I hate you for hurting me, not once, not twice, but three times? Why can’t I just walk away and throw your dalittered with pent-up tears "I’ll tell you why, you moron It’s because whatever you feel, I feel It’s there--pulling us together You make my heart race every tier and deeper than I’ve ever felt for anyone So don’t tellhair out of her eyes, she snarled, "Whatever exists between us is deter so strong and undeniable? It drivesinsane, just like you and your issues drive me insane All I wanted was a way to save--"

She cut herself off before whisper-yelling, "I want you so daers ache to reciprocate, but I want to know you I push you to break you, hoping you’ll find a way back to norI’ve done, you have the nerve to tell me I don’t care about you?"

She panted hard, cheeks flushed with colour

I’d never been so alive So fucking turned on Her passion, her confession squeezed ry word strokedme harder than I’d ever been in my life My entire body screamed for hers I needed to claim her Mark her Solidify whatever existed between us