Page 28 of Vicious Titan

Breaking away from her pained expression, I mumble, “You should talk to Asher about it.”

“No. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Ask Asher why he’s claustrophobic, why confinement sends him over the edge. Ask Nathan why he threatened to put a bullet through his best friend’s head. Open your fucking eyes and see that your father is a sadistic bastard who thrives on control and fear.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth, but it hurt that she compared me to him. There may be something inside me that is fucked up, but I would never do the vile things Victor has done to his own child. And the scary part is I probably don’t know the half of it.

“You’re the monster, not him.”

Denial. She is in complete denial, and I don’t blame her in the least. “Just talk to your brother about it.” I shouldn’t have said anything to begin with. Classic move on my part. Instead of taking the few minutes she’s allowed me to be near her, I make everything worse, not better. “I’m sorry.”

“I doubt that.” She throws the door open, stepping out of the car.

Here we go.Swiftly, I bail from the driver’s door, yelling, “Get back in the car.”

She continues walking as I tell her to stop but she doesn’t, not even one moment of hesitation, she just walks away. I can’t lose her again. I can’t let her walk down the side of the road in the middle of wherever the hell we are.

I’m on her heels, her back to me as I halt, watching her get further away by the second. “I love you.”

Ceasing, she slowly rotates, looking to me as I cautiously step closer to her. She already had the full power to crush me, and I just said the words that will allow her to obliterate me. Writing it and saying it are two very different things, but I needed to do something to get her to not walk away, get her to stay.

Reaching forward, I thread my fingers into her hair, moving in front of her. My lips against hers as I whisper, “I love you, Victoria.”

She pulls away and my hand falls to my side. That’s the moment I realize. It doesn’t matter what I say. I’ve already lost her. She might be standing in front of me, but she’s still not with me.

“No, you don’t. And I can’t love you. This isn’t it. This is toxic obsession. A fixation. I’m a challenge, something you aren’t supposed to want so it makes you desire it more.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.” My irritation spills out in my tone. I can’t fathom that she thinks she can’t love me, that she’s nothing more than a challenge.

“What I do know is your mood swings remind me so much of my father it scares me. If he is capable of the things you said, how am I supposed to believe you won’t end up the same? My parents hate each other. They despise each other. That’s not what I want and not what I need.”

“I need you.” The desperation seeps out in another attempt to hold on to what I have left of her.

“We tried. Every time ends the same.” She turns, walking away as I remain in place.

Not this time.But I bite the words back. If I keep pushing, she’ll retreat further, literally and figuratively.

“I’ll take you home. Just get in the car.” Walking on the side of the road has to be a worse option than returning back to her house. I think. Surely Victor has simmered down some, and I’ll make sure he has before I leave her there.

She doesn’t acknowledge me, so I jog to catch up with her, cussing under my breath.

“You can leave. I have my phone. I’ll get a ride.”

“Nah,” I say casually, falling into step beside her. “If you’re walking, I’m walking.”

“Fine. Just take me home.” She pivots, heading back towards my car. “You really are a pain in the ass.”

“Agreed.” I wasn’t so sure she would give in, but I’m thankful she did. Now, I just need to come up with a plan to get her to forgive me. Again. It won’t be easy because even when I have a plan, it’s usually not the best way to go about things. On our short walk back, I contemplate the one thing that might break through that stubborn shell of hers, and it’s way past due.