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•20• Gerrard
Gard had a boyfriend.
Three years ago… but still, could he be the one who sent me that text?
’Stay away from Priscilla’…
This a shot in the dark, if I’m being honest, but it’s something. Because if someone got the impression that Gard and I are together, and sent me such a text, then it’s got to be somebody who’d rather be in my place.
And only someone who likes her or wants to be with her would do something like this.
For example— an ex-boyfriend.
I rub my beard slowly, thinking.
If it was only about the first message I received, the ex-boyfriend explanation would make sense. But the second text message... it was a clear, obvious threat. Point blank. And unless her ex is a sociopath...
It can't be him...
I bunch my lips together, thinking harder. Because if it isn't some past lover of hers, then who
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Gerrard Southerford is the most confusing man I've ever met. Ever. Like, even the guys at school weren't so hot and cold.This man, though,surpasses all of those idiots.As I make my way out of his room with absolutely no idea where to go, because I don't have a room of my own and he just kicked me out of his, his words play in my mind like a loop on repeat. 'Do you have a boyfriend, Gard?'The fuck?I swear this man has been trespassing the invisible boundary of our employer-employee relationship since day one, and then when just a bit of hope blossoms in my chest because of the shit he pulls on me, he goes ahead and douses even the last flame of that flimsy hope that I dare to feel. Like, why did he have to ask me why I laughed when I asked him about Bru and Keith in his car?Because if he hadn't, I never would have had to answer and tell him that I didn't like seeing him with his PA
When Love Strikes Hard •22• Gerrard
The party is in full swing.We're on the rooftop-- the deck, to be exact, where the lighting's dim and flashy. It's blaring pink on one face then shifts to green on some other face, shining yellow on the mob of dancing bodies somewhere in the center of the makeshift dancefloor, but I? I'm just standing off to the side with my brother, a red solo cup of tea in my hands.Keith, on the other hand, sips on his red solo cup of coffee.What can we say?We learned from our father the hard way that alcohol never does anybody any good.A few people have asked me to join in on the fun-- dance with them, play pong with them, drink and go bottoms up with them, but I find I can’t be swayed from my spot in this random corner of the deck. And that’s because mentally, I’m not even here.I’m back in my office, sitting in my chair in shock as Gard tells me she’s Ruben’s date to his family dinner. The si
When Love Strikes Hard •23• Priscilla
I’ve only been dancing with Ruben for like five minutes-- but when I look ahead, over his shoulder, I see none other than Gerrard Southerford dancing with a woman in a tight as fuck red latex dress, his hands trailing so low on her waist that they’re pretty much grazing her ass. Shock grips me, to the point where I almost stop dancing. She has her arms around Gerrard's neck, her body pressed flushed against his, grinding her pelvis on his thigh as they sway raunchily. I watch them, transfixed, unable to get my eyes off of Gerrard's when he leans in, close to the slut's ear and whispers something. I swear my heart feels like someone's broken past my ribs to squeeze the shit out of it at this point, because that's how much it hurts to watch him with some other woman like this. I don't realise when it is exactly that I stop dancing-- all I know is that I break Gerrard's cruel gaze to stare at my feet instead, only
When Love Strikes Hard •24• Gerrard
I think I’ve taken it too far. We’re driving down the Six, on our way to my Ma's house, the drive kind of long from the office. But it didn’t turn out like Ithought it would, or rather, hoped it would, because Gard’s sitting in the frickingbackseat,for fuck's sake. I sigh quietly, glancing at her through the rear view mirror once. But just like last time, she’s staring out the window. My grip tightens on the steering wheel, because this is really not how I’d imagined the car ride to go. I’d thought Gard will ride with me, in the front. But when this other girl, Hannah, slid into the passenger seat instead, Gard didn’t do a thing. A thing. Just stared at me like I was responsible for this. Like, the fuck? It’s so frustrating to see that after that moment we had in the lift, after everythingthat's happened between us, she's never tried to... stand u
When Love Strikes Hard •25• Priscilla
"Actually, Ms. Southerford,” Ruben says out of the blue, making every person swiveltheir headshis way. He pushes that hoeforward by a step."This is Gerrard's guest. Priscilla is with me."I know Ruben said the wrong thing when Gerrard’s eyes practically glow with fury. “They bothare with me, Ma. That’s Hannah. You see, the person she came to the office party with left her for someone else, so I decided to tag her along.”Ms. Southerford beams. “That wasso sweet of you, honey. Now,come bring your date insid-”“Actually, my sweet,” Smith interrupts, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder. “Ruben’s quite right. I, myself, took it upon me to invite Priscilla to our family dinner, as Ruben’s date, no less. You know how lonely he gets on family nights.”I don’t know if my eyes are weak or the dark’
When Love Strikes Hard •26• Gerrard
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When Love Strikes Hard •27• Priscilla
It almost feels like I’m dreaming; this is so good to be true.Gerrard Southerfordlikes me back?I want to pinch myself awake right now, because if he keeps kissing me like this and I wake up later only to realise this is all just a dream, my heart’s not going to be able to handle it.I pull back from him a little, parting our lips. We’re both breathing heavily, but I swear it feels like in this moment, we couldn’t have been happier.Resting my forehead on his as he leans his face closer to mine, I whisper, “Are you going to take me to your house wearing that?”His brow furrows for a second, but when he understands that I’m talking about him wearing only an underwear and shirt, he laughs softly, pecking me on the lips again.And although we’ve just kissed, his soft peck still gives me butterflies all over my body.”If that’s what you want,” he grins
When Love Strikes Hard •28• Gerrard
“Priscil-” Ruben almost shouts out when the door bangs open, falling to the floor with a deafening thud.I pull away from her, my arm sliding securely around her waist as we turn to face an appalled-looking Ruben. It doesn’t take him longto realise what’s going on here.”Is that a hickey on your neck?!” he exclaims at Priscilla, pointing an accusing finger her way.But you know what? He really shouldn’t have, because all that does- is that I’m in his face in the next second.”It is, fucker,” Igrowl in his face menacingly, but I have to lean so low to match his height. “Got a problem with it?”He glowers at me, but it’s hard to do when I’m towering over him. A scurry of footsteps in the hall reachesmy ears, and I look up from the bastard in time to see his father and my mother standing by the doorway to my room, Keith and Bru behin
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