Unleashed #4 by Callie Harper Read Free Book Online Page A

Culpepper?”
    “Yes, he’s some
creepy freak but he’s the one who made me an offer so I sold it to
him. But none of that matters, Declan! I need you to leave me alone!”
He took another step closer toward me, looking heartbreakingly
gorgeous, rumpled, tortured and raging with need.
    “Declan!” I cried
out desperate. “Nothing has changed. I can’t do this with you. I
won’t do it.”
    “Why, Kara?” He
looked the most vulnerable I’d ever seen him, calling out to me in
the moonlight.
    “I can’t trust
you!” A fierce strength came into my lungs as I spoke now. “I
won’t let you treat me like this. I deserve more.”
    He stopped and his gaze
flattened, lost some of its power.
    “We live in
completely different worlds,” I insisted.
    “What do you mean?”
He looked confused and hurt and I almost caved, almost gave in right
there. But I had to stay strong. My body had just betrayed me, but I
had to keep fighting to do what was right.
    “I’ll never fit
into your world,” I flatly declared, picturing him in the hallway
at that gala, kissing that glittering, rich, empty woman. “And I
don’t want to.”
    “What world? Where do
I fit in that you don’t?
    “New York City! That
woman!” I knew I wasn’t making a ton of sense, but the emotions
battling through me challenged coherent speech. He continued looking
at me, baffled. “I saw you,” I insisted.
    “What?”
    “I saw you kissing
Courtney. At the party.”
    “Courtney?”
    “Don’t make me drag
through all the details!” I rubbed my forehead with my hands. “You
know what I’m talking about. Courtney, in the hallway.”
    “That?”
    “Yes, that,” I
said, exasperated. “Don’t act like it’s nothing.”
    “What do you think
you saw?” He looked befuddled and as exasperated as me.
    “I don’t think I
saw! I know I saw you kiss her!”
    “Kara—”
    “Do you deny it?”
    “No, but it’s
not…that drunk socialite? She’s nothing to me.”
    “That doesn’t
exactly make me feel better.” How could he be so cold and callous
about his conquests?
    “She was drunk and
she kissed me. One second longer you would have seen me pushing her
off.”
    “I don’t believe
you.” I shook my head. I didn’t want his sweet-talking. I knew
the man could tempt me into anything. I needed to block my ears like
a sailor to the sirens or I’d end up crashed on the rocks. I should
have stuffed my ears with cotton balls so I wouldn’t succumb to his
words. Actions spoke much louder, and I knew what I’d seen. “I
can’t believe you, Declan.”
    We stood there, not
touching in the darkness.
    “You’ve broken my
heart, Declan. Twice now.” I shook my head, trying not to cry. “I
can’t trust you. There’s too much mess between us. Don’t ask me
to do this. I can’t.” I couldn’t help it. The sobs welled up
and burst through, my shoulders sagging into the weight of my tears.
“I can’t let you break my heart again. Please.”
    He took a step closer.
    “No!” The word came
out strong, much stronger and more certain than I felt. But I knew if
he touched me, held me in his strong, solid arms I’d never stand a
chance.
    “Declan, if you care
about me at all, please go away. I don’t want what you have to
offer. I need you to leave. I can’t do this.”
    With that I turned and
walked up to the big house on the hill. I shook as I walked, but I
hoped he couldn’t see. I made it up the stairs and through the
front door. No hand came around my waist, no voice called for me to
stop.
    I closed the door
behind me and sat at the kitchen table in the darkness. I heard the
engine of his truck start, the sound of his wheels on the dirt
driveway.
    Declan drove out of my
life. Just like he had the first time. Only this time, I knew it was
forever.

CHAPTER 5
    Declan
    First thing I did back
in Billings was get Lymon Culpepper’s phone number. What kind of a
name was Lymon fucking Culpepper? Who was this joker? He wasn’t
going to be