Princess Can Fight |✓

Chapter 15: You hate yourself

He had the touch of an angel. The tips of his fingers gently caressed my jaw and I-I leaned in. Playing with the tiny hair at the back of his neck, I let my body loosen.

My lips touched his ever so gently before he held my cheek and pulled me off.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this." He said before letting go of my face.

"Why-why not?"

"Because until about this morning you were falling at Brad's feet. Izabelle, I am incredibly fond of you but I don't know if I can allow myself to do this when I know what Brad feels for you. And what you feel for him."

"Austin this morning was ages ago... Things are different now. Everything is different now."

He got up. "You're leaving?"

"I think it's time you spoke to Brad about all of this."

I heard the door shut as he left.

"I can't fucking do this anymore!" I heard Austin whisper yell.

"What's the problem now?" I heard Brad's tired voice.

"You love her Brad. That's the fucking problem!"

"Why?"

"Because I can't take away the last person who still has the ability to make you happy."

"Austin we've discussed this. It's what's best for her."

"Why don't you just try telling her the fucking truth? Maybe she's stronger than before?"

"And what if she's not? We both know what happens then." There was a pause before he continued, "This is the last time we speak of this. Do your job Austin."

I found myself standing inches away from the door. My heart was beating violently against my chest as I swung the door open.

They both froze. Brad didn't move a muscle. It was almost like he wasn't breathing for a few seconds. Austin was the first to respond.

"I'll leave you both to it." He bolted.

"Are you going to explain to me what exactly Prince was talking about?"

He shook his head and passed a hand through his hair before taking my wrist and dragging me to the room.

"Sit."

I sat.

"You don't like me. You like making out with me. There's a difference. You don't even know who I am. For you I'm just some guy who beat you up after kissing you. And it's always going to be that way. You'll never know the person I really am. I'm not the kind of guy who'll ever take you out on cute dates or cuddle with you. All I really can do is the physical part of a relationship. It's what I do. What I have to do. Austin has this idea in his head that I am genuinely in love with you." He folded his arms. "I think by now we've both established the fact that I am pretty much incapable of falling in love. I care about you. I want to protect you because I put you in danger. I want to make your body stronger so that you won't need me to protect you. I am saying this again, this morning my intention wasn't to hurt you, it was to make you stronger. And I will keep fighting you emotionally and physically until I believe you're strong enough to take care of yourself. I guess that takes care of everything you heard us discuss."

"Wh-Why go through all of this trouble if my life means nothing?"

"If you believe your life means nothing, then I guess it does mean nothing. Because if you don't find your purpose, nobody will. So I'm buying you time to find it. And once you know what it is, maybe you'll believe that your life means more than nothing. Austin didn't let me finish earlier. I don't blame him."