I’m going crazy just standing this close to him. Angry as I am, my body calls out to his, desperate for his touch. Reedy breaths slide from my mouth as a dangerous thought enters mybrain.
So, he has awife.
She’s nothere.
I shut it down so fast, my world spins. Clearly, I need a little distance to sort through my unraveling emotions. A few days apart, to get some perspective. Halting a fair distance from him, I’m careful to keep my gaze averted. I clear my throat and do my damnedest to hold my voicesteady.
“I need some time to process this. Time… and space.” I swallow. “I realize that’ll be difficult, since we share a camp. That’s why I’m going to bring my things here for a while. You can keep thebeach.”
I hear him suck in a shaky breath. “How muchtime?”
“I don’t know, Beck.” My voice breaks on his name. “I don’t know anythinganymore.”
“Violet—”
“Just don’t, okay?” I curl my hands into fists, eyes on the sand at my feet. “You’ve doneenough.”
A long exhale escapes him, an indication of his deep frustration. I can feel his impatience, tangible in the air between us. The inability to explain himself, to justify his actions, is tearing himapart.
Good, a small, vindictive part of my psyche whispers.I hope it hurts likehell.
“I’ll go get my stuff. When I get back here… I’d like it if you weren’t.” Heart aching, mind reeling, I pivot on my heel and walk away from him without anotherword.
Being away from him right now is for the best,I tell myself.Even if it tears youapart.
It sounds like total bullshit, even to my own ears. Apparently, Beck thinks so too, since I only make it about three steps before a hand closes over my arm and he hauls me back towardhim.
“Beck!” I snap. “Did you not hear a word I just said? About needing time and space toprocess?”
“Fuck time. Fuck space. Fuck that whole idiotic plan,Violet.”
“Excuseme?”
“You heard me perfectly fine.” He leans close, eyes spitting fire. “You don’t get to set all the terms of our relationship and then storm out of here without giving me a chance toexplain.”
“We don’t have a relationship,” I hiss. “Because you have awife.”
A growl rumbles in hischest.
“Let me go!” I yank at my arm, but he’s holding fast. “I mean it, you unbelievableasshole!”
“No.”
“No?” I blink, amazed at his audacity. “I’ll… I’llscream!”
“No one to hear you but hermitcrabs.”
“Then I’ll smash you over the head with acoconut.”
His lips twitch. “That’s your prerogative, princess. Not my favorite plan, but if it’ll calm you down enough to listen, I’m all forit.”
“Beck… please.” I can’t hold on much longer. My resolve is cracking, my fury fading into a deep despair that threatens to pull me under. “Let mego.”
“Like I said —no.” He stares at me, fingers flexing against the flesh of my arm. “Today alone, you’ve lost a friend, nearly drowned, and had a bombshell dropped onyou.”
“You skipped my favorite part,” I mutter. “Let’s not forget how you nearly deflowered me without bothering to mention you’ve got a wife waiting for you athome!”
He flinches as if I’ve landed a physical blow, but his eyes glitter with resolve. “You can try your best to piss me off so I’ll let you storm out of here, but it’s not going to work. If you think I’m letting you wander into the woods by yourself, feeling the way you’re feeling right now, you don’t know me a damnbit.”