Chapter 42
Hattie
Keith was glaring. Atem was growling. Tuvo was snarling. The sheer force of aggression all around her should have made Hattie uneasy.
But it didn’t. Because Atem was her brother and only wanted to protect her. And Tuvo was her sweet lover boy and wouldn’t let anyone disrespect her.
And Keith? Well, Keith was… irrelevant.
Stepping away from Tuvo, she pushed Atem back. Giving her ex space so that he could turn his glare on her. No doubt, he felt that was the safer option – though it definitely was not.
But the hard look didn’t make her uneasy or afraid. It didn’t hurt to see. He was just Keith being Keith – like a fly buzzing around shit.
“You’re really going to make me walk back? After everything?” He asked, tone incredulous with just a hint of mockery. An edge he couldn’t help but add because cutting her was part of the way he tried to gain back his power.
“You’ll be fine, Keith,” Hattie said, not a trace of fawning or flattery in her voice. It was steel as much as her nerves. “And since this is likely the last time I’ll ever see you, I have something to say-”
“Hats, this is ridicu-”
“Stop talking,” she cut him off, no hint of compromise in her tone. She had never done it before, and it surprised him so much, he actually obeyed. “You’ve spent our entire relationship saying whatever you want, however you want, and I’ve let you. So, you’re going to let me speak this time.”
“You-”
“I hate being called Hats. I hate the way you treated me. I deserved better. You hurt me. You do it deliberately. You’re intentionally cruel and manipulative about it.
You brought me in with pretty eyes and a charming act that you let fall away as you chipped at my self esteem until you had me so destroyed, I didn’t even think I could leave. ”
He rolled his eyes. “Dramatic, as usual. Always blaming me for your problems.”
She continued like he hadn’t spoken. “You gaslighted me. You insulted me. You took out all your anger and insecurity on me and had me convinced I deserved all of it. I gave you everything I had, I did everything I could for you, and you not only took advantage of that, you didn’t even appreciate it.
I have every reason to hate you. I’m going to enjoy never having to see you again, and I hope you stub your toe on every coffee table you pass for the rest of your life.
“But more than anything though, Keith… I forgive you.”
He started in surprise, his anger and annoyance vanishing to be replaced with confusion. Then consternation when she smiled weakly.
“I forgive you,” she repeated, the certainty of it settling in her bones.
“I feel bad for you, and I genuinely hope one day that you can work through all the issues that you’re taking out on the people who care about you, because it hurts too much to confront them yourself.
Every second of our relationship wasn’t bad, you know.
And I know there’s good in you. I wish the best for you.
Thank you for our good times, and I forgive you for the bad. Goodbye, Keith. Good luck.”
Turning from him, she walked past the two, hulking domini that had been flanking her from behind, glaring at Keith with unfiltered disdain and disgust. Even when she walked past them, they didn’t immediately back down.
She shook her head, laughing as Tuvo snarled. He didn’t even get a chance to do anything because she grabbed his tail and pulled him back.
“Come on. Let’s go,” she said.
He growled at Keith, who was stepping back, confusion and a strange hurt on his face. However, her strong alien lover didn’t fight as he let her drag him into the shuttle. Atem let out one last snarl before turning and stepping in as well.
He hit the button beside the door to raise the steps and seal it closed. Hattie waved at everyone through the gradually closing crack until the last second.
“Aw, I’m going to miss them,” she said as Atem made his way to the pilot seat. He had been the one to drive it down here.
Tuvo wasn’t surprised. Atem wouldn’t have let anyone else be responsible for picking up two people who meant so much to him.
“You’ll see them again,” Tuvo promised as she moved to the window and waved again. They couldn’t see her through the window tinting this time, but she kept up her vigil, smiling sadly, as Atem lifted the shuttle off the ground and slowly brought them up.
Tuvo came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He watched with her as everyone dropped away.
And with each length gained, he felt some of his tension ease.
Finally, she was in the safety of the shuttle. The armor on this ship would be enough to handle most blasts that this planet was capable of producing. And the higher they got, the more out of range she was of all of them.
No more beasts. No more wild, unprotected nests. No more males that posed as much of a threat to her, if not more, than both.
Finally, his mate was safe.