Until Forever (ROYAL RIDERS SERIES BOOK #1)

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I took the glass as he let me go and grabbed the whiskey from the cabinet, pouring him another drink and handing him the glass. "Haven't you had enough?" I didn't think he heard me. Just my luck, he did. 

"What'd you say?" 

"Nothing," I said quickly, defensively. 

"You think you get to decide when I should drink now?" He laughed humorlessly and downed his drink, throwing the glass on the countertop once he finished, the shards flying everywhere. 

I had stopped flinching when he moved closer now, expecting the blows. But it was hard not to flinch when he picked up a shard and came closer, threatening me with it. 

"You're a pain in the ass, Vince. Did you know that?" he slurred, staring at me. 

My jaw clenched as he moved the shard around carelessly. It was when he lost his balance and the shard pierced right through the skin on my chest that I lost my mind. I grabbed him by the collar and then shoved him several paces back. 

I remember the shock on his face. It was like he never expected me to retaliate. Like I wasn't capable of it in his eyes. 

I don't remember the rest very clearly. I was yelling, telling him never to fucking touch me again, saying I'd kill him if he hurt me again, bleeding profusely from my chest from where I was stabbed with the glass. I had to drive myself to the hospital because he simply passed out on the couch after that. That's where the scar is from. That single shard of glass. 

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts when I felt Demi's elbow digging into my side. I turned to her, lifting my brows. 

"Why aren't you eating?" she asked softly. 

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled, pushing my plate away. 

She eyed me but didn't say anything more. 

My mom never skips dessert, so some ice cream was brought in for everybody. The fancy bowl just sat in front of me, the ice cream slowly melting away. 

I faced Demi when she held her spoon in front of my mouth. "Yours is all melted. Take mine," she nodded. 

I felt my parents watching us. She shot me a pointed look. We have to act, that's the whole point of this. And I'm wasting time going down the dark side of memory lane. I opened my mouth, taking the spoonful she fed me before she had some herself. 

My parents slowly fell back into their own conversation and she turned to me. "What are you thinking about now?" she asked in a whisper while leaning back in her seat. 

"Memories," I answered quietly. 

"Good or bad?" 

"Bad." 

She stared at me. 

"Really bad," I exhaled. 

She paused, reading my face. "The scar on your chest kind of bad?" 

I held her gaze, hoping the surprise didn't show on my face.