Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
SAVANNAH
I gasp and stumble backward as a figure steps into my line of sight. The fear turning to downright terror when I realize exactly who that figure is.
Harley Thorn.
Shit, shit, shit.
I had been terrified to start college, knowing he would know what I did, but I’d hoped like hell he would take it easy on me. When he didn’t approach me, even going so far as to stay away, I figured that’s how it would stay, but clearly, I was wrong.
Because tucked away in the stacks of books stands the man himself. The man who I betrayed, and the man who has the power to destroy me.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he sneers, and my pulse gallops as I take a step back, intent on fleeing the library and never looking back. I’d rather run and hide than face the reality of my situation.
Too bad because he’s ready for me and lunges for me just as I go to make a break for it.
His hand clamps around my wrist so hard it will no doubt leave bruises, and I bite back a whimper of pain.
A dark chuckle slips past his lips, and where it’s so unlike him, it threatens to bring me to my knees.
This isn’t him; this isn’t who he was but clearly, this is what I’d turned him into.
If I could turn back time and do things differently, I would.
But now, we’re both stuck with the consequences of my decisions.
I hate this is what it has come to. I hate that I’ve brought out this darker side of him, when it didn’t exist before.
“You think that’ll work, darling?” he purrs, and it’s terrifying and arousing all at once.
I’m so screwed.
“After everything you’ve done, did you really think I’d let you get away with it? Did you really think I’d just forget everything you did without any repercussions? No, that’d never happen, princess, because you deserve. Every. Little. Thing you have coming, and so much more.”
A startled cry leaves me as he shoves me into the bookcase, and I resign myself to take whatever he wants to give me.
He wants to hurt me? Punish me? Torture me?
Kill me? I’ll let him have it. He can have anything and everything he likes.
He can take what he needs, and I won’t do a thing to stop him because, hopefully, once he’s gotten it out of his system, he’ll realize the safest thing for him to do is stay far, far away from me.
Maybe if I go down without a fight, it’ll make me feel better and lessen the guilt I’ve been carrying around like a dark cloud.
I’ll just have to hope my father doesn’t find out.
But… if I know Harley as well as I think I do, then he won’t make anything public knowledge. No, he’d ruin me in private like he threatened the night of the party.
I do deserve it, after all.
He can do whatever he needs to in order to make himself feel better, because I know the truth, and it’s so far away from what he thinks. I’ll let him do what he wants because, honestly, I want him now more than ever.
I’ve missed him.
I’ve been drawn to Harley Thorn since that first day at the pier, and I haven’t been able to think of anything or anyone else since.
I want him, need him.
He may look and act like a completely different person now that he knows what I did, but I’ll still take every scrap of attention he gives me.
After all, I’d rather take the darkest parts of him than not have him in my life at all.
Even if he does terrify me.