Read Online Vengeful Heart: Fighting Heart Erotic Bad Boy Romance Series Book 3 by Nicole Hamilton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nicole Hamilton
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I’m going to get him back. I am going to turn this round and take him out. But until then he needs to think everything is going fine, that I’m right under his boot heel all the way until it happens. If he thinks I’m up to something he could carry out this threats before I have the chance…”
“Ashley, honey…” Cody put his hand up and blinked. I noticed how beautiful he was. “You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself as much as me. Have you really got the power, the determination to go after this guy like you said? Because you went straight home with him and left me in York. Can you do what you’re saying, or are you just saying it to make things more bearable for yourself, Ashley? You need to take an honest look at yourself, Ashley.”
“Don’t say that, Cody.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I still believe in you, Ashley. But I’m not so sure you do anymore.”
“Please, Cody. Don’t give up on me. I never gave up on you.”
“Didn’t you? I heard the latest gossip already this morning.”
I nodded, fearing the worst.
“They say you’re seeing Professor Ridgley.”
I didn’t respond. I looked him in the eye. “I was told you were getting serious with Joanna Laws first.”
Cody sighed again and looked away.
“Cody. She’s a good looking woman. And you thought I’d left you. But I only left you because...”
“You only left me because . That’s right. And Joanna was there for me and Joanna is a great looking woman. Ashley,” now he whispered, “I asked you not to break my damn heart, remember? But that’s exactly what you did.”
“You are with her then.”
Cody made a single nod. He blushed and looked away.
“And you… and Ridgley?”
“What does the rumour mill say?”
“You mean Penny? Penny and the others say you screwed him last night, in his office. Is that true?”
“I’m sorry that you’re asking me that, Cody. I’m seriously sorry.”
“So am I.”
“No, we haven’t screwed. But you and Joanna have, right? So that’s us finished. Now, please don’t ever be so damned rude to me ever again. You sound like Brandon, asking me that.”
Cody winced at the mention of Brandon’s name.
“Ash, just the very rumour could destroy Ridgley’s whole career, do you realise that? If the Dean and the others catch wind, he’ll be finished…” Now Cody changed tack and smiled at me. “We were so good for a time, weren’t we Ashley?” he said. I knew these were our parting words, and I didn’t want them to rend me apart. I swallowed on the growing ache in my throat.
“Yes, York was amazing. But it didn’t have to end. It doesn’t have to end.”
“But it ended too soon, Ash. You walked away.”
“So everyone keeps telling each other. What’s the truth compared to a good story, right?”
Cody nodded and looked back to his adoring crowd.
“Good luck with all that,” I said, meaning the girls.
“Just make sure you find a way out, Ashley. Dig a way out if you have to. For your sake.”
He reached out and squeezed my arm, and then he was gone, just another body in the student crowd, albeit one hassled by a troop of star-dazzled wannabes.
I stood clutching my latte in one hand and my college file in the other. I stood like a mannequin until Amanda came up to my side and tapped me on the shoulder. “Five minutes until class. Do I get my update now or later?” she said.
I couldn’t speak. The shock of Cody’s words pinged around my skull. The rumour mill was in overdrive, and Ridgley’s whole career and future was in jeopardy, put at risk by our tryst, but most of all by Brandon Lynes paranoid jealousy. We hadn’t even done anything… not yet… Maybe we would, but that was none of Brandon or the college’s business. We were two consenting and very horny adults. That was no one’s business but ours. But now because of Brandon and Penny, Ridgley was at risk, and everything I touched was being turned to shit.
Cody had moved on,
“Ashley, honey…” Cody put his hand up and blinked. I noticed how beautiful he was. “You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself as much as me. Have you really got the power, the determination to go after this guy like you said? Because you went straight home with him and left me in York. Can you do what you’re saying, or are you just saying it to make things more bearable for yourself, Ashley? You need to take an honest look at yourself, Ashley.”
“Don’t say that, Cody.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I still believe in you, Ashley. But I’m not so sure you do anymore.”
“Please, Cody. Don’t give up on me. I never gave up on you.”
“Didn’t you? I heard the latest gossip already this morning.”
I nodded, fearing the worst.
“They say you’re seeing Professor Ridgley.”
I didn’t respond. I looked him in the eye. “I was told you were getting serious with Joanna Laws first.”
Cody sighed again and looked away.
“Cody. She’s a good looking woman. And you thought I’d left you. But I only left you because...”
“You only left me because . That’s right. And Joanna was there for me and Joanna is a great looking woman. Ashley,” now he whispered, “I asked you not to break my damn heart, remember? But that’s exactly what you did.”
“You are with her then.”
Cody made a single nod. He blushed and looked away.
“And you… and Ridgley?”
“What does the rumour mill say?”
“You mean Penny? Penny and the others say you screwed him last night, in his office. Is that true?”
“I’m sorry that you’re asking me that, Cody. I’m seriously sorry.”
“So am I.”
“No, we haven’t screwed. But you and Joanna have, right? So that’s us finished. Now, please don’t ever be so damned rude to me ever again. You sound like Brandon, asking me that.”
Cody winced at the mention of Brandon’s name.
“Ash, just the very rumour could destroy Ridgley’s whole career, do you realise that? If the Dean and the others catch wind, he’ll be finished…” Now Cody changed tack and smiled at me. “We were so good for a time, weren’t we Ashley?” he said. I knew these were our parting words, and I didn’t want them to rend me apart. I swallowed on the growing ache in my throat.
“Yes, York was amazing. But it didn’t have to end. It doesn’t have to end.”
“But it ended too soon, Ash. You walked away.”
“So everyone keeps telling each other. What’s the truth compared to a good story, right?”
Cody nodded and looked back to his adoring crowd.
“Good luck with all that,” I said, meaning the girls.
“Just make sure you find a way out, Ashley. Dig a way out if you have to. For your sake.”
He reached out and squeezed my arm, and then he was gone, just another body in the student crowd, albeit one hassled by a troop of star-dazzled wannabes.
I stood clutching my latte in one hand and my college file in the other. I stood like a mannequin until Amanda came up to my side and tapped me on the shoulder. “Five minutes until class. Do I get my update now or later?” she said.
I couldn’t speak. The shock of Cody’s words pinged around my skull. The rumour mill was in overdrive, and Ridgley’s whole career and future was in jeopardy, put at risk by our tryst, but most of all by Brandon Lynes paranoid jealousy. We hadn’t even done anything… not yet… Maybe we would, but that was none of Brandon or the college’s business. We were two consenting and very horny adults. That was no one’s business but ours. But now because of Brandon and Penny, Ridgley was at risk, and everything I touched was being turned to shit.
Cody had moved on,
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