Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

hell. Mad was good. I could work with mad. Tears from her I couldn’t do. The only time I’d seen her cry ripped me apart.
    “Scar, wait let me—”
    “No! You don’t get to explain shit.” She cut me off yelling.
    The anger made me take a step back before carrying on. “Scar, come on, stop. It wasn’t what you thought.” Oh fuck. Wrong choice of words; her face was getting redder.
    “Fuck off, like I haven’t heard that line of bullshit before!”
    I took a deep breath. “Babe—”
    “Don’t you dare call me that! You have no fucking right to call me that. In fact, you have no right to be here, so get the fuck out!” Her hands shook with rage as she opened and closed drawers pulling clothes out.
    “No, I’m not leaving until you listen to me, dammit!” I started to get angry. She needed to stop and listen to me. I wasn’t going to let her give up on us over a stupid mistake.
    “Fine, asshole. I’ll leave.” She grabbed her bag and stormed out, heading to the carport. I snatched the bag out of her hand and threw it to the side; she kept going, making it to the car with a few quick strides.
    “Listen to me,” I roared. “I won’t lose you over Janelle and her bullshit.”
    “Janelle? That was—” Her anger faded slightly.
    “That was Belle’s mother, babe. There are things I wasn’t honest about. Things I should have told you, but I didn’t want to blow my chances of having this.” I motioned between us with my hand. My confession seemed to ramp up her mood again.
    “Well, clearly, you forgot to mention you were still screwing you ex!” she yelled.
    In a deathly-calm voice, I looked right in her eyes. “Stop right fucking there, Scarlett. I’m not fucking her or anyone else for fucks sake!” I took a deep breath, blowing it out on a sigh and continued. “She wanted money.”
    Scarlett blinked, trying to understand my words. “Money? Why the hell would—”
    I cut her off and rushed out, “Because I’ve been supporting her since Belle died, before Belle died.”
    Clearly confused, she asked, “Why would you be doing that? I understand before, but why now? And why didn’t you just tell me that’s what you were doing? Why the big fucking secret? You couldn’t be honest with me?
    Then I got pissed again. How dare she! “Why couldn’t I be honest? Don’t stand there and make out like you’ve been completely forthcoming with me!” I snapped. “Not once have you told me shit about your past, not even when I ask you. You just up and change the fucking subject.”
    She stilled “I–My past isn’t important. Nothing important happened to me.”
    “Oh, the hell it isn’t. Tell me, Scar. Why do you automatically think I’m cheating? Why are you always so closed off? And why the fuck were those walls so damn hard to break through?”
    “Don’t you dare talk to me about being closed off! You haven’t been in a hurry to share anything except Belle, and that was only after I saw her name on you. You’re such a fucking hypocrite.”
    My eyes snapped to hers, “You wanna know, Scar? You want it all? Here it fucking is!” I leaned in closer. “Me. All of me, laying myself bare”.
    “That’s not what I’m asking for, Mace.” She leaned into my chest. I got the impression just offering had melted her slightly, though she was still pissy. That and the way her tits moved with each heavy breath was making me hard as hell. Probably not the best time for it. I shifted so my body lined up with hers. My lips against her neck, arms around her, I asked, “Still mad at me, babe?”
    “Yes, I’m still mad,” she said, sounding like she was trying to be but failing. “You lied to me.”
    “I did and I’m sorry. I was trying to sort it out without involving you. I won’t lie to you again.” Pressing kisses to her throat, my jeans got considerably tighter.
    “Just so you know, now I know what she looks like, the next time I see her, I’m gonna kick her ass,” she whispered on a small moan.
    My head snapped up. “Why would you want to do that?”
    “Mace, you need to understand. She hurt you, and she’s laid all this blame on you. Blame that isn’t yours to carry. That pisses me off, and she’s obviously still doing it for you to keep supporting her. I won’t pretend to understand the bond you two have, so if you ask me not to knock her on her ass, I might listen. But get this, I love you. She hurt you, is still hurting you. Belle’s death was never your fault,