Break All Ties

Chapter Thirty-Two

I could hear heavy breathing. Angry heavy breathing and hands grabbing a hold of me. The hands were soft to the touch, but they weren't at all gentle. They were prying me up from the ground, tearing at any leaves that stood in their way.

Once they had me, they didn't hold me. For a second, I was suspended in the air, then they let me go.

Impact.

My eyes shot open as my head went under. There was water everywhere. On my skin. My clothes. Everywhere. It was inescapable. Ice on my skin. Then there was the surface. Gasping, I shot up to the top.

Assante stood at the edge of the pond, glaring daggers at me.

He looked beyond out of place standing in the middle of a forest in his fancy dress suit, eyes alight with what could only be described as rage. His hair was messier than ever as if he'd been pulling at it, his tanned skin pale.

"You," He growled in accusation. "Will be the fucking death of me."

Around us, the rest of the world seemed silent, even though the world was still going on. The leaves were still rustling and the birds were still chirping idly. Above us, the sky had started to darken as evening began to set in.

I must've been out here for hours, fast asleep on the bank.

Without a phone, I'd been out of access. Out of bounds.

I'd felt free. If I closed my eyes, it felt like I was eighteen at home again, asleep behind the tractor somewhere on the farm. In ten minutes, Jared was going to come looking for me, shouting that Mum wanted to know where I was at so she could start dishing tea out.

But I wasn't asleep.

My eyes were wide open.

The mafia boss was still glaring at me.

"Well?" He snapped. "Where's the explanation Charlie? What the fuck do you think you're pissing playing at?"

I bobbed towards the middle of the pond, struggling to get a hold of my bearings. Where was I again?

"Where's the explanation cagna? In what world does this seem fucking fair to you?"

He was angry. Impossibly angry.

So what else was new?

"What are you talking about?" I asked, pushing the wet hair out of my face. Was throwing me in really necessary?

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when he started towards the edge. Apparently, the cost of those dress pants and shoes didn't mean shit to him. He took a step into the water, his body sinking down immediately. When he was waist deep, he started swimming towards me as I shot back.

"What are you doing?" I snapped. "Go away. Leave me here. Can't you see I don't want to talk to you right now? Or- I don't know- ever."

Once again, he'd sought me out. Who was on whose dick again?

He grabbed me by my soggy shoulders and pulled me into him, his body flush against mine as he dragged me up. The water rushed around us, rippling. He smashed his face into mine, his nose digging into my cheek as he forced a hungry, desperate kiss on me. His tongue must've been in my mouth for three seconds before I bit it and drew blood. I bit down hard, the intention being to maim.

He didn't seem to care. He kissed me harder and held me tighter, unforgiving even as his blood seeped between us.

When he did eventually have mercy and pull away, his eyes hadn't calmed in the slightest.