Page 51 of Bleed Me

“Is it true? Did you rape her?”

“Who told you that?”

Her lips pursed.

Goddamn Artist.“Is that why you fucked him? You were mad at me?”

“What I did with Art is none of your business.” I opened my mouth, but she shut it with… “Just like what you did with Saph is none of mine.”

Wanna throw stones? I smirked. “Did he tell you? That he was in love with her, too?”

She lifted a brow. “Was?”

Suddenly feeling tired, my shoulders caved. “I’m a different man from who I was.” I huffed frustration. “Becoming who I am now, I’ve realized I wasn’t a man at all back then.”

“You make it sound like it was so long ago.”

My fight was leaving me. “How it feels. Ages ago.”

Justice calmed down, too. Her voice grew kinder. “Art didn’t tell me.”

“But… Then… How?”

“You did.”

I had never discussed such details with her. My ears began to ring… “What are you talking about?”

She swam closer to me. “After I figured out who you were, I rushed to your room to tell you we could talk openly now. I had been researching all night while everyone slept. Two A.M. is a rough time to wake someone not expecting it.”

The head on my shoulders didn’t feel like mine as it wobbled and weaved as if trying to move away from her words. “No.” I could feel my whole upper body begin to sway. “No.”

She came even closer… “He protects you.” Standing on the rock below my hanging feet, she reached for my knees.

“No.” My mind went dark immediately. I kept seeing Justice’s hands pushing against my chest, just like with Delilah as I tore through— “No!” I jumped up to my feet, needing to run away from the agony I was convinced I’d caused her. “I can’t do this again. They should’ve killed me!”

“Wait!” She grabbed what she could reach of my legs. “Wait! Please, hear me out. Giver. Please—”

It was too late. The pain was too great. I roared, “Let me go!” My eyes scanned for my pile of clothes. If no one had the balls to kill me, I was going to do it myself.

Reading me, Justice instantly knew of my deadly plans. “No!” She knew I was looking for my gun, so she refused to let go of my calves. “No! Don’t you even think about it!”

“It ends now!” I tried to take a step forward, but the woman is strong. I tripped up and fell forward, my chest slamming to the embankment as I reached for my clothes. I was too pissed and scared to feel any of my own pain due to the fall but felt immediate pain when hearing her scream. My chest seized. “Babe?” I peered over my shoulder to see her wincing, holding her arm. “Oh shit!” I scrambled, splashing through the water to turn around and help her. “Where did I hurt you?”

With lightning speed, her arms flew around my neck. “Now, listen to me!”

Realizing she tricked me, I tried to rise on my knees and yank free of her arms, but that only spurred her to wrap her legs around my waist like a deranged monkey.

Her body’s vice-like grip was impressive. “Giver! You’re wrong—”

Pushing against her hips, I fought to get to my feet, yelling, “Don’t you understand?”

“I’m trying—”

With her attached, I took a step toward land. The slippery rock had my feet flying out from under me, tossing me backward, plunging us both in the water. I wanted to stay under the water so Justice would let me go to get air, but the stubborn woman held tight.

Drowning the woman you are literally trying to die for is just stupid, so I rose to the surface. Her goddamn mouth started running before sucking in her first breath. “You will listen to me!”

My feet found ground and started marching us back up the spring’s edge. “I’m only doing one thing. That’s it. For real this time.”

I guess she finally took me seriously because she let go, dropped to her bare feet, and ran.

I kept marching toward my clothes, thinking, Yes, run, baby. Don’t watch this. Bending down to get my gun, I heard another one click.

Her voice was menacing and raw. “Then we go together.”

Ah, shit.

Even though I knew she was at the edge of her sanity, this was going to be my only chance to right my wrong, so I called her bluff and continued to reach for my gun.

Boom!