Chapter 25 #2
“Still planning this gala?” he murmurs, totally disinterested.
“Yeah. Mom wants to finalize everything in the next few days.”
He taps hard on his phone, trying to get the cracked screen to react. “What have you got planned for tomorrow?”
“My mother wants my help, walking the decorators around the event space. But I can bail.”
He pockets his phone and shrugs. “No, you should go. I have to go for a ride with Boscoe tomorrow, anyway.”
I jerk back with surprise. “You do?”
“So, is the meeting with your Mom all you have planned tomorrow?”
“Uh, no. I need to go back to St. Mark’s. It’s been a few days since my last shift.”
“So, you’ve got a full day planned? You’ll be away from home most of the day?”
I can’t read his tone and there’s something irritable about his body language. “Are you mad at me?”
His eyebrows push together. “No. Why would you say that?”
“You seem off. Like there’s some kind of wall between us.”
He shrugs. “I’m just tired, I guess.”
“Do you want a nap? Or maybe you’re dehydrated. Have you drunk any water lately?”
He clicks his tongue. “You don’t need to play doctor with me.”
“It was an innocent question. Are you sure I haven’t done anything wrong?”
He grunts, rubbing his thumb and index finger over his temples. “No. Can you just stop?”
I move away from him. “Fine. I’ll leave you alone.”
He groans, dropping his hand. “That’s not what I meant.”
I throw my hands up with defeat. “Well, there’s obviously something about my presence that’s annoying you.”
“I’m not annoyed by you,” he snaps. “I’m annoyed when I have to spend time away from you.”
“Are you still mad about me leaving with LJ?”
“Ugh. No.”
I pout, watching him hunch over. “Then why are you pushing me away?”
Dax stands and pushes past me. “Can’t you ever let anything go?”
“Dax.” It puffs out of me as he paces into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
I jolt when the walls around me quake. I place my hands on my chest, and my nervous heart pulsates.
What should I do? Knock on the door and be yelled at? Leave the pool house and give him space? Just sit on the floor and silently wait for him to come out?
I wince at the colliding thoughts and wander into the living room. I plonk onto the couch and curl my feet beside me. I cuddle a large, square pillow and rest my chin upon it.
That wasn’t the attitude of someone falling in love with me. He didn’t even seem to like me. I peer over at the hallway and watch the bathroom doorknob. Right now, the only conclusion I see coming is he’ll walk out of the bathroom and tell me we’re through.
It’s an eternity before he emerges from the bathroom. I’m rigid as he makes his way toward me.
“Can we start over?” he asks.
I look up at him, feeling helpless and small. “You yelled at me.”
“I got heated. I’m sorry.”
“You’re mad at me for spending time with LJ?”
He looms over me with his broad frame. “No, I just have a lot going on.”
“I didn’t kiss him, if that’s what you’ve been thinking.”
He retches. “Ugh. Don’t go there.”
“Everything changed last night. Just admit you don’t want to be with me anymore.”
“What? Where did you get that from?”
My eyes water. “You disappeared this morning.”
He sits. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Why would you leave Ashworth Estate? You’re safe here.”
“Yesterday, I spent all day here, waiting for you. I needed to get out.”
I retch, and my nostrils flare. “There it is. You are mad at me for being out all day.”
He gets up and steps away. “I don’t want to keep doing this.”
His words cut me like a knife. On shaky legs, I stand and step toward him. “Maybe we’ve gone about this too fast.”
His seriousness morphs into worry. “What?”
I motion between us. “This. Us. Maybe we let our feelings get too out of control.”
He chews his lip, looking off to the side. “I don’t feel like that.”
I scrunch my fingers into my hair. “Then help me understand this. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
He grabs my arms and yanks me close to him. I yelp when I hit his chest.
He releases one of my arms so he can hook a finger under my chin. “The only thing that’s crazy is the fact I’m never letting you go.”
I whimper from his pressure on my arm. “Then what’s wrong?”
He releases me, and I wince and rub my arm.
“Our lives are wrong. It’s wrong that being together shouldn’t work.” His arms fold, and there’s an intense flex in his jaw. “I’m doing my best, but I’m struggling to keep my brother off my back.”
“I could make a call,” I suggest weakly. “Maybe let the sheriff know…”
“You need to stop trying to fix things. My life doesn’t change with a bunch of words like yours does. You need to let me deal with my family on my own.”
Feeling more alone in his presence than I thought possible, I hug my feeble midsection. “So, what do you want me to do? Tell me how to act so I don’t upset you.”
He huffs and wraps his arms around me. I keep my arms pressed against my stomach as he kisses my forehead and rests his chin atop my head.
After a long silent moment, he murmurs, “I’m not telling you how to act. You’re perfect how you are. I just don’t want you involved in stuff that could get you hurt.”
At that, I unravel my arms and pull them around him. I lean against him, listening to the erratic thumps of his heart. I shut my eyes hard and grit my teeth. Was he pulling away from me because he’s worried about his brother closing in on him?
With a voice strained with pain, he suggests, “Maybe I should go.”
“No,” I whisper hoarsely. “Don’t leave me again.”
“Until I sort things out with my brother, we’ll keep arguing.”
“But when will that happen?”
He pulls his arms from around me. “If I go now, it’ll be soon.”
I narrow my eyes, taking him in. “How can you be so sure?”
“I can give him something he wants. If I do it soon, he’ll give me space.”
“Wait. What will you give him?”
“I need to go. I’ll explain everything when I get back.”
I grab his hand and dig my feet into the rug. “No. Tell me what you’re doing so I’ll know if something goes wrong.”
He leans in, pecks my lips, and whispers, “If I tell you, you won’t let me go.”
Fear fizzes inside me as he pulls his hand from my grip.
“Goodbye, Sassy,” he says with a small smile, and disappears out the front door.
My heart swells and my eyes water from hearing that silly pet name.
And, goodbye?
For how long?