and get your ass next door.”
“I just want to go home…”
“Now!” he roars.
I get to my feet and as I feel a familiar burning behind my eyes, I desperately try to stop the tears from falling. Christ, I’m such a girl. Max gives me a sympathetic look, and then glares at Caden.
“Go easy Chief, the girl is hurt.”
“Don’t fuckin’ tell me what to do Max.”
“Chief, what are you doing?” Dani asks.
“Fuck off Dani.”
Caden grips my arm, yanks me out the door and pulls me over to his house. Getting a questioning look from Jeff, he snarls a ‘don’t ask’ and then drags me up the stairs. He heads straight for his room and once inside, he spins on me; his jaw is clenched and his eyes are wild.
“What the fuck is going on?” He hollers, and I can see his knuckles turning white.
I take three steps away from him; pressing my back against the door.
“Stop lookin’ at me like I’m going to flog you! Fuck, what do you think I am?”
I’m trying really hard not to cry but my shaky voice is a clear indicator of how frightened he has me. “Caden you’re scaring me.”
“Just answer me damn it! What the fuck happened earlier?”
Steadying my breathing, I fill him in. “I had a charity dinner. I’m sorry didn’t tell you, I really am.”
“Who was that man?”
“Greg, you met him at the beach party remember? We went as friends.”
“So you ditched me, to go with him?”
“Caden, it wasn’t like that.”
“My name is Chief! Tell me what it was like then. Well? You’ve been pulling back for a fuckin’ month. You won’t tell anyone about me, you hide me and keep me as your dirty little secret. Too God damned afraid of losing your precious money.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, it’s not about the money!” I cry, tears streaming down my face.
“Bullshit!” he roars. “You told me yourself you lose out if you don’t do what they want.”
“It isn’t about that, it is everything. I lose everything.” I’m sobbing so hard now I’m struggling to catch my breath.
“So what? So fucking what?”
Taking a moment to compose myself, I try to explain but when I speak my voice is barely a whisper. “It’s my life Caden; I have no back up!”
“So do what normal people do; you get your own fucking job, your own car and you live like the rest of us! But no, not you. Princess can’t do it on her own, so she shits on everyone else to keep her perfect life,” he sneers.
“That’s not true,” I cry.
“Isn’t it? Tell me again why you haven’t introduced me to your parents?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
“Exactly. Maybe Dani was right; maybe you just don’t belong in this world.”
“What about you?” I counter, wiping my tears away.
Caden looks momentarily confused. “What about me?”
“You lied to me, you said I was the only virgin you have been with but Dani told me otherwise.”
“Dani is a fucking liar.”
“And what about all your secrets; the things I don’t know about you.”
“Do I know everything about you?” He throws back.
“That’s beside the point!”
“How?” He roars.
“You’re hiding something from me.”
“Well, when you decide I’m good enough for your perfect world, I might decide you’re good enough for mine. When you share with me, I’ll return the favor.”
“Why are you doing this?” I whisper.
“Why? Because I care about you, because I want you more than any fuckin’ thing I have wanted in my life and you’re fuckin’ breaking me.”
I crumble, my knees give out and I fall to the floor.
“I don’t want to break you,” I cry, pummeling my fists onto the ground. “I just want you Caden, all I want is you.”
“Then why?” he chokes. “Why did you go out with that man?”
“Because I’m a fool,” I scream at him. “You’re right, I am scared of all this but I can tell you something; when I saw you tonight on that beach with her, I felt more pain than I have ever felt in