Chapter 4 You Don’t Like Me That Much
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Even Jonathan froze. He’d braced himself for a slap, but instead, Clarissa threw herself into his arms, trembling and soft. His whole body locked up.
His gaze dropped slowly, stiff and uneasy, and landed on the woman clutching him like her life depended on it. Her sobs hit like a gut punch. His surprise flickered for a second, then vanished. His face hardened.
“Clarissa,” he said, his voice rough and low, “you ran off without a second thought. Now, you cling to me just to protect him? That’s how cheap you’ve become?”
He seized her wrist. His grip was brutal, like he wanted to crush the bones. His voice trembled from how much he was holding back.
“It wasn’t for him. It was for you.” Her cheeks were soaked. When she caught the misunderstanding in his words, her eyes widened. “I shouldn’t have left. I’m sorry…”
Her voice shook, but her words were clear and real. Before she could explain more, Gregory’s voice rang out from behind the guards. “Clare! You don’t have to go so far to save me! I know I’m the one you love!
“Jonathan, I don’t care if you’re the Jefferson heir! Clare and I are real! You can’t come between us!”
Jonathan’s stare turned dark. His eyes locked on Gregory, and his whole expression twisted with fury.
“Break his legs.”
He said it like it was nothing.
“You can break me all you want, Clare still doesn’t love you.” Gregory laughed, even as he struggled. “The woman you want doesn’t want you, Jonathan. She wants me!”
Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. His voice dropped colder than before. “Shut his mouth.”
One of the guards stomped on Gregory’s face.
Another drove his heel into the back of Gregory’s knee.
There was a sharp crack.
The sound echoed, but his scream never came.
His mouth was pinned shut. All that escaped was a pained, broken moan.
Clarissa watched every second with fire in her eyes.
She almost stepped forward herself, just to get one hit in. She wanted him to suffer. He owed her from another lifetime.
Jonathan saw it–the way her body shook, the way her eyes burned. And somehow, that made him angrier.
He thought she still cared about Gregory as if her life depended on him.
His jealousy burned. His fury spilled over.
He yanked her forward and threw her into the car.
She let out a cry as her body slammed into his chest.
Before she could react, his hand caught her jaw. His grip was harsh and tight.
“Clarissa,” he growled, “are you playing some lovers‘ drama with me now? Like we’re some perfect pair in a sad story?”
Every word came sharp and mean, his anger boiling through each syllable.
“No,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “I-”
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7:56 PM P
Chapter 4 You Don’t Like Me That Much
“Hurts, huh? Watching your lover bleed?”
Jonathan cut her off fast. He didn’t want answers or excuses. His voice cracked with something sharp and bitter.
“So, that’s how little I meant to you? You’d rather run away with nothing, no future, than be with me…..”
His voice stopped, like something inside him just broke.
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Her lips pressed against his–warm, soft, and shaking. The kiss hit him like a wave and cut off everything he meant to say.
Jonathan went rigid. His breath stuttered.
He lowered his eyes slowly and stared at the girl with her eyes shut tight, her mouth resting gently on his. She was trembling hard. Maybe from fear. Maybe from shame. Either way, it felt forced, like she was doing something she couldn’t stand.
The storm in his chest faded into a dull ache. All that was left was bitterness and something cold.
Clarissa could barely breathe. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She had never kissed Jonathan before–not in this life or the last. She felt like she might pass out.
But she did it–she kissed him. He had to know what that meant.
“I know it was my fault… I messed everything up. I’ll go back with you, okay? Please don’t be mad anymore….
Her cheeks turned bright red. She was embarrassed, but to Jonathan, all he could feel was disgust. His throat tightened. The weight of disappointment pulled him under. “So, this is how far you’ll go for him?” His voice was hoarse and flat.
She had once told him she hated him more than anyone.
And now she kissed him–just to save Gregory.
