“You need to—”
“Please go.” I was starting to panic.
He stepped back a few feet, his arms up. “Let me say one more thing. Please?”
“Fine.”
“Whatever your reason is, the bottom line is this; you can either tell him the truth and be with him, or you can accept the fact you’re going to lose him forever. You’ll never find a guy like him again, Livia. I promise you that. It’s not too late to fix this. He’s still here…for now.”
There’s nothing more I wanted than to be with him. I loved him more than life itself.
He watched my eyes then took another step back. “Now I’ll go. Please think about what I said.”
I watched him walk to his truck and take off. Even when he was gone from the street, I still stood there, unsure what to do with myself.
The next day at school, Scotty ignored me again. Actually ignore is an understatement. He acted like I didn’t exist. He didn’t even glance in my direction. I tried to concentrate and take notes but it was impossible when the love of my life was sitting in that room, no longer mine.
After my classes were over, I went to the library. The silence was even worse than the noise of other students. Without any distractions, I was left with my thoughts. And I always thought about the same thing.
Scotty.
My phone lit up. It was probably Ash. It was too early in the day for him to need a ride because he was drunk, but he probably wanted something.
My heart froze when I saw Scotty’s name.
I apologize for bothering you. I just wanted to see if you’re okay.
He cared? God, I hated myself even more now. I had the sweetest guy in the world at my fingertips but I couldn’t have him. I couldn’t confess what happened to me. It would ruin everything. I would rather remember him as a happy memory instead of a horrific one. I’ve been better. You?
The same.
I didn’t know what else to say. I put the phone down, feeling even more miserable. I couldn’t concentrate on my homework. All I wanted to do was run to him.
My phone vibrated. I still love you. Together or apart, that will never change.
My eyes welled up in tears. He was torturing me. There’s nothing I wanted more than to share my bed with him tonight. I wanted to feel his arms around me, to feel safe again.
I’m here if you ever need anything. I’ll stop bothering you now.
You weren’t bothering me. I shouldn’t have said that because it invited a conversation, but I couldn’t be cold and let him think I didn’t want to talk to him. I waited for him to message me but he never did.
And now I was even more depressed.
I went to the store after class then carried the groceries into the house. After I locked the door, I put the groceries on the counter and started to put everything away. I wasn’t sure why I bothered to buy food. I was too depressed to have an appetite.
The doorbell rang.
Why did people keep showing up on my doorstep? Didn’t people use phones anymore?
Whoever it was, they knew I was home. I just walked into the house a second ago.
The doorbell rang again, making my eardrums ring.
It better be a girl scout selling cookies.
I walked to the door and looked through the peephole.
It was William.
Shit.
How did he know where I lived? I remembered my parents gave him my number and address. Damn them.
“Livia, answer the door. I know you’re there.”
Had he been watching my house?
Fucking psychopath.
My first instinct was to call Scotty.
But he wasn’t my boyfriend anymore.
He pounded his fist on the door hard, making it bend at the hinges.
I didn’t have time to think about this. I grabbed my phone then made the call.
Scotty answered immediately. It didn’t even ring. “Hello?” His voice was hollow.
The words poured out of my mouth. “William is at my door and he’s trying to break it down.”
The anger came through. “What the fuck?”
He shoved his weight against the door, making it bend again.
“Fuck, he’s coming.”
“I’m on my way. Grab a bat or a frying pan.” He hung up.
I dropped my phone then went into the hallway closet. There was a baseball bat in there from my days in high school. It was a hollow metal bat, but it was better than nothing.
“After I break this down, we’ll be even. My Range Rover for your door.”
“You’re such a fucking psychopath!”
He hit the door again. “I heard through the grapevine your beast of a man isn’t around anymore.”
How did he know that? We’d only been broken up for two weeks. Ash didn’t even know.
He slammed into the door again. “Nobody tells me no and gets away with it!”
“Go to hell!”
He threw his body against the door again. This time, it broke off the hinges. Pieces of wood flew through the air. He stumbled for a moment before he gained his footing.
Then he saw me with a bat. “You think I’m scared of you?”
I held it like I did during a game. “You should be.”
“You’re awfully brave for being totally alone.”
“The police are on their way.”
He laughed. “Who do you think they are going to listen to? One of their biggest donators or an annoying girl?”
“They won’t have anyone to listen to because I’m going to knock your head off.” I took a swing at him but missed.
“Two can play that game.” He pulled out a pocketknife then flipped out the blade. “Now we’re even.”
Shit.
Scotty came behind William, a look of murder on his face. He hooked his arm around his neck then choked him hard.
“He has a knif!” I shouted.
William swiped at him and sliced him in the arm.
Scotty didn’t react. He grabbed his arm then slammed it into William’s leg, making him stab himself. Then he pushed him on the ground.
“Fuck.” William pulled it out. It was only an inch deep, but it was bloody.
Scotty grabbed him by the neck and dragged him across the ground. “What did I tell you last time we spoke?” With a single arm, he slammed him against the wall. “WHAT DID I SAY?”
I shook at the anger in his voice.
William didn’t answer.
Scotty squeezed his throat. “Tell me.”
William choked on his words. “If I…don’t leave her…alone…you’ll kill me.”
“Very good.” Scotty pulled him forward then slammed him into the wall again.
William groaned and turned white, like he might pass out. “I’m sorry. Please. I’m sorry. I’ll leave her alone.”
“What makes you think I trust you?” Scotty was red in the face.
“I’m sorry. I thought you weren’t around anymore…”
Scotty slammed him on the ground. “I’m always around. Don’t make that mistake again.” He stomped on his hand, making William scream.
“I’ll leave her alone…I swear. Don’t kill me.”
“It would be so easy to make it look like an accident.” The relish was in his eyes.
“No. I’ll give you whatever you want.” William looked like he might piss his pants. “Mercy.”
“Mercy?” Scotty laughed. “Mercy? I don’t believe in mercy. I believe in psychos that try to harass my girlfriend. That’s what I fucking believe in.”
William started to cry. “I’m sorry…please don’t.”
I despised William even more for being so pathetic.
Scotty grabbed his arm and dragged him across the hard wood floor. Then he rolled William out the front door and to the sidewalk. “Get out of here. Or. Die.”
William stumbled to his feet then got into his car. After fumbling with the keys, he finally peeled out and left the house.
When he was gone, I was able to catch my breath again.
Scotty turned around and faced me, his jaw clenched. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He came closer to me. “Did he touch you?”
“No.”
Scotty didn’t come any closer. I expected him to hold me and kiss me but he didn’t. He turned around and inspected the broken door. It was shattered into pieces. “I’ll take care of this before it gets dark.”
“Scotty?”
He turned back to me. “Yeah?” His eyes were guarded. He didn’t look at me the way he used to, love and adoration shining bright.
“Should we call the police or something?”
“I would love to. But that wouldn’t help in this situation.”
“Why…?”
“Rich billionaires are the type of people you don’t want to get into legal disputes with.” That was all he said. “I’m pretty sure he won’t bother you again. Maybe you didn’t notice, but he shit his pants. Fucking pussy.”
No, I didn’t notice.
He examined the door again. “I’ll be back. I need to head to the store and get the supplies.”
“You know how to put on a new door?”
He gave me a dark look. “I used to work in construction—or do you remember anything about me?” The sadness was in his voice.
“No…I remembered. I just thought you only worked on highways.”
He didn’t respond to me. “I’m leaving now.”
“Shouldn’t I go?”
“No. Someone needs to watch the house.” He walked out without looking back. I wanted to be held, to be loved by him.
But those days were over.
When he returned, he immediately began working on the door. It didn’t take him long. He did it so well that it was clear he’d done it a hundred times. Within a few hours, a new door was on the frame.
He handed me the keys. “They’ll be different from your garage, but at least you can lock it.”
“Thanks…” I still couldn’t believe all of this happened. Why did bad shit always happen to me?
He checked the door again before he opened it. “Well, I’ll see you later.”
“Wait,” I blurted.
He turned around but didn’t come closer to me. A blank look was on his face. He almost seemed bored. “Thank you for everything. I didn’t know whom to call. You were the first person that came to my mind.”
“You don’t need to thank me. You can call me for anything, Livia.” He turned around and stepped out again.
“Wait.” What was I doing?
“Yeah?” Now he seemed annoyed, like he wanted to get away from me as quickly as possible.
“I…I don’t want to stay here tonight. I guess I’m a little freaked out.”
He stared at me but said nothing.
“Can I stay with you…?” He always made me feel safe.
The anger shined through. “Maybe you’re perfectly fine with this break up, but I’m not. I’ve never been so depressed in my life. My parents passed away, burned to death, but this still hurts more.” His body was tense, in defense mode. “So, don’t be so insensitive as to assume that I would be perfectly okay with sleeping with you in the same house. That damn place still reeks of you and I’m trying to get rid of your ghost. Don’t torture more than necessary. I have no problem helping you when you need it, but don’t slap me in the face like that again.” He breathed hard, the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
I was winded by his words. “I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Well, think before you speak. I was so patient with you for being so guarded. I was always sensitive toward that. Now think about someone else besides yourself for once.” His face was red, his eyes wide.
“Scotty, this has been hard for me too…”
“Yeah, it seems like it,” he said bitterly.
“It has.”
“You don’t love me, right? So why would it be difficult for you?”
I didn’t have a response to that.
“You can stay with Ash if you’re really that scared.” He walked out and slammed the door, almost breaking it all over again.
CHAPTER THREE
Scotty
I didn’t mean to snap at Livia like that. I don’t know what came over me. I just got mad—really mad.
It was a combination of everything. The psycho-piece-of-shit-I-hope-he-rots-in-hell-motherfucker had my blood at boiling level. No one—I mean no one—comes to her house and harasses her like that.
Not when I’m around.
It disgusted me that such dicks lived in the world. If I ever have kids, I better not have girls. They won’t be leaving the house—ever.
In addition to the dickhead, she looked so fucking beautiful. She wore shorts and a loose top, and her hair was over one shoulder. I missed those high cheekbones, those pink lips, and those legs—don’t even get me started. It was like looking at a candy bar when you’re starving, but you can’t have it.
And then, she asked to spend the night.
Spend the fucking night.
Where in her pretty little head did she think that was a good idea? That I would be perfectly fine sleeping down the hall from her? Did she think we were friends or something? Maybe she didn’t love me. Perhaps I fantasized the whole thing until I thought it was real.
Anyway, my point is, I didn’t mean to howl at her like that. I was just under a lot of stress. Everything was making my head spin. But seeing her face to face like that was the worst part.
My natural instinct was to hold her. I wanted to rush to her and wrap my arms around her, holding her to my chest. I wanted to kiss her, to tell her everything would be okay. There were so many things I wanted to do…but none of which would have been appropriate.
Now I was sitting at home, back in the dark like usual, wishing I hadn’t fallen in love with her to begin with. She was the devil in a pretty package. She bewitched me, making me fall for her harder than humanly possible. Why couldn’t I want Amanda? She was there and ready for me. It wouldn’t be complicated. It would be easy.
But no. I had to become obsessed with a damaged girl that didn’t want anything to do with me.
Life sucks.
“You ready to do this?” I asked when Liam answered the door.
“Yeah.” He turned to Keira. “I’ll be home in a few hours.”
“Where are you going?” she asked.
He leaned close to her. “This is the one I can’t tell you about.”
“Oh.” She nodded her head in understanding. “Okay. Text me when you’re on your way home.”
“I will.” He kissed her then walked out.
We both headed to the truck.
“She trusts you implicitly,” I noted.
“Yeah. It’s nice.”
We got into the truck then headed to the university.
“Have you talked to Livia?” he asked.
I didn’t want to discuss the fiasco with William. “No.”
He seemed disappointed. “Maybe you should try talking to her tomorrow.”
“There’s nothing to say.”
He sighed. “Come on, man. Fight for her.”
I wanted to. But I didn’t think it would change anything.
“She’s obviously hiding something from you. That’s the only explanation. Pull it out of her.”
“I know her pretty well. When she’s set in her ways, she won’t change.”
“Then that’s it? You just give up?”
I didn’t respond.
“We’re on our way to find out who raped her.” His voice sliced through the air. “And when we find him, we’re going to destroy them. You’re willing to go to such great lengths to protect her when she has no idea, but you aren’t willing to talk to her? Makes no fucking sense.”
“I just don’t want her to reject me again, okay?” There. He pulled the truth out of me. “I’ve never been so hurt in my life.” I decided not to hold back.
I pretended I was fine when I wasn’t. “When my parents died, I was miserable. I still am miserable. Livia fixed that hole in me. She made me better. And now she’s gone… If I put myself out there again and she rips me apart…I can’t even contemplate it.”
Liam kept his eyes on the road while he drove. The silence stretched for a long time. It didn’t seem like he was going to respond but I didn’t expect him to. What did you say to something like that? “I know how you feel. Keira broke my heart a few times. But like I said, she’s the only girl who’s ever claimed my heart. If she were somebody else, I wouldn’t have bothered. But she’s the one. And if Livia is the one to you, you have to keep risking the pain. Because the alternative is worse, much worse.”
Everything he said made sense. I tried to lighten the mood. “Are you Yoda in disguise?”
He smirked. “Does that mean you value my advice?”
“A little.”
“Talk to her.”
I looked out the window.
“Scotty,” he pressed.
“Okay. I will.”
Satisfied, he fell silent.
We reached the Sigma Pi fraternity house. We both stared at it, arms across our chests.
“How do you want to play this?” Liam asked.
“What do you mean?”
“We obviously aren’t in the fraternity. And we aren’t chicks. They are going to notice.”
I smirked. “When they see us they won’t say shit to us.” Liam and I were practically gorillas. He was still larger than me, but our bodies were tight with muscles. And we were trained fighters. They’d be stupid to touch us.
“Good point.”
We walked inside, hearing the loud music. All the girls were wearing bikinis. It seemed to be a pool party theme. All the guys were shirtless.
“If we take off our shirts that should solve the problem.” I pulled mine off then shoved it into my back pocket.
“Good idea.” Liam pulled his off.
A group of girls suddenly stared at us, liking what they saw.
Liam and I ignored them.
“Are your friends here?” I asked.
“They are more of acquaintances…”
“How do you know them?”
“They bet on my fights.”
“Who doesn’t?” I teased.
We moved through the crowd, searching faces. It made me sick to know that fucker was probably in the same building as I was.
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