Page 126 of Challenge Me

“There’s no glory in being a coward.” I stepped to the side when he got too close. Pivoting to face him, I pulled out the note. “This was a pussy way to get in contact.”

“It’s not as easy to talk to you as it used to be. You’ve become . . . high-profile.” His lip curled. “Complete with a bodyguard and everything.”

“Right.” With a sigh, I kicked my foot back to rest flat against the dumpster. “Look, I don’t know what the point of this visit is, but it’s a waste of your time and mine.”

“We never got closure.”

“We didn’t need it.”

“Of course we did.”

“I think the restraining order was enough closure, don’t you?”

He crossed his arms. “You could never decide what you wanted.”

“All the more reason to cut it off.”

“You gave up on us.”

Unable to help myself, I scoffed. “Don’t act like you were slighted in all this.”

“I fucking was. Five years just thrown away. After all we went through together?” Stepping closer, his nostrils flared. “I loved you, Remi.”

I looked at his car. Despite my fear of his arrival, I was shocked he’d actually come. He’d driven for days. In any other instance, I would have convinced myself it was sweet. If I hadn’t been with Amir these last two months, it would have been easy to reach that conclusion. But I had been with Amir, and now that I was here, glimpsing what had once been my life, I felt shame for the first time in over a decade.

“I wanted love,” I admitted. “But you just wanted to feed your ego.”

“You never gave me a chance to fight for you.”

I was surprised by the laugh that escaped me. “Fight for me? Oh, please. You were more likely to fight me.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s Oli and those fucking friends you made. They convinced you of all this.”

“No. You’re the villain here, Cole. Not them. And not me.” I lifted my chin and met his eyes. “You cut me open again and again, and I let you for a long time. You want closure? Here it is. I’m done bleeding for you. Let the gods judge you as they see fit.”

I was about to walk away, but he was suddenly right in front of me. Pressure on my throat made me reach up to stop it, but he slammed me back against the wall.

“Stop playing games with me, baby,” he said, his face so close I could feel his breath. “You’re never done with me. You always come back.”

I shook my head and dug my nails into his wrist.

“He doesn’t know what you like, how you’re dying to be treated.” His grip tightened, stealing my breath. “Not like I do.”

“I don’t . . . want to be treated . . . this way,” I rasped with the last of my air.

“You think what you have with this Darya guy is going to last? Don’t tell me you’ve deluded yourself into believing he wants to make you a stepdad.” He laughed, and my eyes burned with tears I fought to keep in place. “You’re a commodity to guys like that. Imagine all the DMs he gets from men who are dying to be on his arm.” He leaned closer, brushing his lips over mine. “He’s probably fucking one of them right now.”

With all the strength I had, I yanked his hand away from my throat and stumbled to the side before he could touch me again. I coughed as I rubbed my trachea.

“Maybe I’ll help you keep his attention a bit longer and send him some of those pictures you used to love taking for me. You were always so fucking desperate.” He groaned. “I still look at them, you know.”

“Screw . . .” My throat ached, and it made me bend forward as I caught my breath. “You.”

“On second thought, there’s a woman who I know would be more than happy to see how . . . hedonistic you can be.”

I turned on him. “Threats? What a great way to show love.”

His expression softened remarkably. “Yeah, you’re right. You just drive me crazy, Remi.”