Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“You’re a complete fucking asshole, Deacon. I fucking hate you!”
“Yeah, figured,” he muttered, not meeting my gaze. He scrubbed a hand over his face and then the back of his neck. “Christ. I don’t have fuckin’ time for this shit, Apple. I need to get some rest so I’m ready to go hunting once Wylde gives me a direction.”
Without thinking about it too much, I stepped close to him and slapped his handsome face. If I was hurting, he was gonna fucking hurt too.
Chapter Five
Deacon
Yeah. I deserved that slap in the face. I deserved that and way the fuck more than Apple was likely to dish out even if she did want to pretend to be a badass. I knew I’d treated her badly but leaving her alone was the best way to protect her. If it hadn’t been for her being shot, I’d have stayed away completely. I wouldn’t have caused her more pain, and I wouldn’t have lost another piece of my heart to her.
It was easy to tell how difficult this was for her. I’d done my best to act like she didn’t matter to me, like I had so many more important things to do than hang out with a girl who was several years my junior, but my entire being was focused completely on Apple.
“You’re out of line, Apple.”
“And you’re an insufferable bastard.” She bared her teeth. In that moment, she reminded me more of her sister than ever. It made me wince. Not because I didn’t like Lemon or anything, but because I loved my sweet Apple. I was sorely afraid Apple would never be that same soft, caring woman again. Which was completely one hundred percent my fault. “So I guess we both have our fucking issues.”
She was right up in my face, giving me a piece of her mind -- well, her face was actually level with my chest, but that was beside the point. She was fire and passion, things I’d never associated with Apple before. She was the peacekeeper, the voice of reason. Not so this version of her. This woman was a force of fucking nature. Just like her sister.
And it turned me the fuck on.
“I think it’s time you and I came to an understanding.” I grabbed her upper arm and dragged her out of Rocket’s office. I wasn’t sure where I was going or what I was gonna do with her when I got there, but it took me all of five seconds to realize I’d hit my limit with Apple.
“Let me go, you ape!”
“Not until we settle this between us.”
“You’re being an asshole!”
“And you’re being a fuckin’ brat!” I growled the insult at her as I dragged her down the hall. I thought I heard Lemon call out, but all I could really process was the roaring in my ears, the need to get Apple alone and in my arms paramount when I should be pushing her away. Not trying to hold her closer.
I marched down the hall to the room Rocket had given me when I’d first gotten to the compound to check on Apple. With a grunt, I shoved it open and pulled Apple in after me and slammed the door shut.
“Let go of me!” She kicked out, catching my shin. Unfortunately she was wearing flip flops so I knew it had to have hurt her more than me, but she didn’t even wince. She did grimace when she tried to twist free of my grasp. It was a stark reminder that she’d recently been shot. And I’d just made her pain worse by dragging her across the clubhouse.
I let her go but stayed between her and the door. Under no circumstances was she getting out of this room before she and I came to an understanding.
“Didn’t mean to hurt you, Applejack.”
She let out an angry screech and launched herself at me. Her fists pummeled my shoulders and chest, but she didn’t try to strike my face again. Which told me more than she likely wanted me to know. Apple didn’t really want to hurt me, but she was hurting. Desperately.
“Don’t call me that!” she yelled. “You don’t get to call me that ever again!”
“I know, Appleja--” I cleared my throat, stopping myself from using my nickname for her. “I know. I’m sorry.”
The pain and anger on Apple’s face was enough to make my heart ache and my stomach tighten. I’d done this to her. It was my fault. Didn’t matter that I’d done it to keep her safe, I’d still hurt her. Diminished that light in her eyes that I’d loved since the first moment I’d seen her. For that, I might never forgive myself.
“Not sorry enough,” she snapped. “You think manhandling me is going to solve anything, Deacon?”
I could see the hurt in her eyes, the way her body tensed up readying for a fight or flight response. I hated myself more in that moment than I had since the day I’d sent her fleeing from me. “I didn’t think. I just…” I trailed off, unsure of how to explain the torrent of emotions driving me to drag her here like some caveman.