Ruthless knight

Sawyer

I’m tossing and turning in bed when something hits my window.

Assuming it’s harmless, I roll over and fall back asleep.

Until a few minutes later when I hear some rustling against the house, followed by a low, “Ouch.” And, “Goddammit.”

Instantly, I bolt up in bed…and silently curse myself for leaving my window open.

I’m about to run out and get my dad, but a tall figure wearing a hooded sweatshirt climbs through my window.

A scream lodges in my throat. As if the night couldn’t get any worse, I’m about to be murdered in my own bed.

Screw that.

I pull out the bat I keep underneath my bed and raise it over my head.

“Jesus. It’s me,” the figure who sounds a lot like Cole utters. “Put down the bat.”

I must be having a nightmare. 

Unfortunately, a very real-life Cole lowers the hood of his sweatshirt and walks over to me.

I do put down the bat, but only so I can push him. He’s literally the last person in the world I want to see, so the fact he’s even here right now is absurd.

“Get the hell out—”

His hand slams over my mouth and he backs me against the wall. “I know you’re angry. You have every right to be.” He holds my gaze. “I’m sorry.”

He’s unbelievable.

If he thinks crawling through my window in the middle of the night is going to earn my forgiveness, he’s out of his damn mind.

I remove his hand. “Leave. Now.”

“No. Not until I know you don’t hate me.”

I don’t hate him.

I regret him. Big difference.

“Fine, I don’t hate you. Now go.”

“No.”

“Then I guess I’m calling the cops.”

I head for the door, but his arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me until my back is flush against him. “I fucked up, Bible Thumper.”

At least that we can agree on.

“You’re the last person in the world I want to hurt,” he rasps. 

“And yet, you did it anyway,” I whisper, my chest caving in. “There’s no coming back from this. What’s done is done.” I hate the way my voice cracks. “Go back to Casey.”

“I don’t want her.”

I open my mouth to tell him he obviously doesn’t want me either considering what he did, but his lips hover over my ear and he whispers, “I passed out in the hot tub. I don’t remember her climbing in. Hell, I don’t remember anything that happened after I found the bottle of Jack Daniels. But I didn’t fuck her.”

“Gee,” I scoff. “Sounds awfully familiar. How am I supposed to believe you when I know for a fact we hooked up and you can’t remember that either?”

I try to get out of his hold, but he tightens his arms around me. “Because I’ve never felt about her the way I feel about you. Or anyone else for that matter.”

“You sure have a fu

“Give me another chance, Church.”

“I did. Look how well that turned out.”

“You want me to beg?”

“No. I want you to leave.”

“Get down on my hands and knees and apologize?”

“Don’t bother.”

His voice drops to a whisper. “Tell me what to do to fix this, Sawyer.”

“You can’t.” I hate the tears stinging my eyes. The pain punching my heart. How I still care about him even though he hurt me so damn much. “It’s over. The deal between us is off.”

“No, it’s not.”

“You humiliated me in front of everyone. Not just with Casey, but with all the hurtful, mean things you said. Maybe the other girls you’ve been with have no self-respect, but I do.”

“Let me fix it.”

“You can’t.”

“I can try.”

My heart slams against my ribcage. “Why, so you can fuck up again? Do you think I’m made of steel, Colton? How many times do you think I can survive you hurting me like this?”

“That was the last time.” He skims his nose along my neck, inhaling me. “I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I’m keeping this one. I don’t care what it takes or what I have to do. We are not fucking over.”

“You’re right,” I choke out. “We’re not over.” Turning my head, I look up at him. “We can’t be over when we never even started.”

“Give me one more chance,” he growls. 

My heart twists, wanting so desperately to give him what he’s asking for. 

“Why won’t you just leave?”

I can’t think clearly when he’s holding me like I’m his lifeline and asking for a second chance.

“Because losing you isn’t an option for me.”

He sounds so convincing. Like he actually gives a shit about me instead of losing his million-dollar car.

“Then you should have thought about that before you got drunk and destroyed us.”

Us. God, I’m so stupid. There was never an us.

“You’re right,” he agrees. “But I wasn’t thinking. I was…Stone…” His voice trails off. “It doesn’t fucking matter.”

Let me be the judge of that. “What did he do?”

Whatever it is, it won’t take away what Cole did. But at least it will give me some kind of understanding as to his state of mind before he decided to pour gasoline on this thing between us and light it on fire.  

“I told you, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is getting you back.”

“Getting me back so you don’t lose the bet,” I grit through my teeth.

“No. But if that’s what you really think, it’s fine.” He releases his hold on me. “Because I’m go

Good Lord. I’ve never met anyone more stubborn in my life.

There’s no point in arguing with him anymore. It’s just easier to let him think what he wants so he’ll leave.

“Fine. Whatever.” I point to the window. “Go.”