Chapter 20 #3
Heithor left me alone before I could react.
Haunted, I let my body fall onto the sofa. Unbelievable. There was no other word that fit that situation better. God, how I hated that little woman!
Norah had done it. Once again, she had managed to entangle that idiot in her poisonous web and fool him with her false pose as a decent woman.
How the hell could Heithor not see how false she was?
Norah was as fake as a three-dollar bill. Only someone very stupid would believe the crap she spewed. She was up to something.
I huffed and drew in a long breath as I sank into the sofa.
Hell. I had to find a way to fuck that slut over so she would disappear from our lives for good. I would think of something.
Heithor had crossed the line.
I was pissed at him, and I wasn’t going to apologize.
However, when late afternoon fell, I was already calmer and more serene.
A horrible mood, one that was making me anxious, had settled between us.
He couldn’t do this to me. I wasn’t guilty of anything.
All right, I had gone a little too hard with my words and should have filtered some things before speaking, I admit it, but it was that woman’s fault for driving me out of my mind.
And then there were the hormones, I thought, but the thought didn’t soften anything.
Swallowing my pride, I went up to the bedroom, where I knew he was getting ready for another outing. Thor was sitting in the armchair, pulling on his boots, his chest bare. He lifted his gaze to me briefly, then went back to concentrating on what he was doing. My nerves hissed. I wet my lips.
“Are you leaving already?”
Thor didn’t look at me again.
“I’ll try to be back before eleven, but don’t wait for me. It might take longer.”
I ground my fingers behind my back.
“I’m going out with the girls.”
“Fine.”
How I hated that woman…
I should have left there, or better, I should have gotten ready and applied the silent treatment to that insensitive jackass until he admitted I was right. But hatefully, I couldn’t.
“Be careful,” I murmured quietly, biting my lip and looking down at my feet because I didn’t know what else to say.
This was a shitty situation.
“Come here, baby.”
I blinked quickly, surprised. My heart sped up with foolish happiness. Even so, I didn’t move. “You’re still angry with me.”
“I’m not anymore,” he assured me, offering me a wide, honest smile. “You know I can’t stay mad at you for long. Now come here.”
I went into his arms, glad he had met me halfway, catching me as I buried my head in his chest.
“I don’t like it when you’re angry with me, even more because of that woman.”
“And I don’t like it when you don’t measure your words and take me for an idiot. And you know you did that today.”
“Sorry. I know you’re not stupid. Norah drives me out of my mind.”
Thor held my face between his hands and kissed me slowly.
“Then don’t let her,” he whispered, resting his forehead against mine, his eyes in mine. “Don’t lose your mind for her or for anyone else.”
“You could help a little. And you didn’t help by bringing her here to talk to me, knowing I hate her, or when you compared me to her.”
He pushed back, his hands still on my face.
“First, I didn’t bring her here. Norah came on her own.
I only allowed her to talk to you because I think everyone has the right to try to redeem themselves.
I don’t want to hide anything from you. I’m not going to ask you to try to understand her and be friends either.
I would never do that. But it’s good to have everything out in the open, don’t you think?
And another thing, I didn’t compare you to her as a person, but in the attitudes you both had for different reasons and circumstances, but which in the end led to the same result.
I’m sorry I touched on the subject of your parents, but we have to be honest with each other, my love.
There can be no taboo subjects between us.
You acted wrongly. With or without malice, you lied and deceived.
You had your share of mistakes like any other person, but you didn’t settle into them.
That means something. Why would it be different with her? You feel threatened…”
“I do not feel threatened,” I protested, growing irritated.
“Okay. You don’t feel threatened, but you don’t like it because we’re friends and exes.
I won’t say I know how you feel, because I’m not and have never been in a situation like that.
However, I can imagine, and I swear I understand your side.
But you, better than anyone, know I love you more than anything in this world.
There is no other woman I want except you, Antonella.
I forgave you, but I won’t lie and say I forgot. No one would do that, not even you.”
“I understand your point… So that means she doesn’t work for you anymore, huh?”
“We’re settling that. Norah decided it would be better to avoid friction with you.” I grimaced. “Right, enough of that subject now. Where are you going?”