Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
~Harlow~
"Yes, yes, I understand, I swear, I understand," I choke and rasp out, and Thane finally releases me from his hold.
I am gasping for air as I attempt to figure out what I did to deserve such treatment. Leon attacked me. He is the one who should carry the burden of blame and guilt, but Thane is acting as if I was on my knees, begging for this to happen.
"A taxi is waiting for you by the main gate. Now get out of my house," Thane snarls, then gets up from where he was sitting this whole time and storms out of the room, leaving me on the floor.
The asshole doesn't have enough decency in him to check if I'm okay.
To make sure I will survive the night. How can he be so careless after watching the attack happen before his eyes?
What if Leon managed to steal enough blood to kill me?
He cares for his and his mates reputation, not the lives that might be taken by the reckless psychopath, Leon.
I know that staying around for any longer will most likely get me killed, so I grab my belongings and ignore how violently my knees shake as I bolt out of the cursed mansion.
Once again, I freeze my ass off as I stand by the gate, waiting for the taxi to arrive. So much for claiming one was waiting for me here already. That Thane is a fucking soulless liar!
I keep stealing glances back at the brightly illuminated mansion.
It's creepy to stand here out in the open where everyone can see me, but I can't spot any figures approaching me.
The trees hold massive shadows that I find ominous the moment the fear starts creeping up on me.
The place is dead silent; too darn silent for me to feel even slightly comfortable to stick around.
The chill of the air steals all the warmth from my body, even with the clothes they gave me. Honestly, I'm grateful they thought of getting a taxi for me because I have no money left, there isn't even a single dime in my pocket.
The lack of money worries me more than it should, so I turn my head to see if the taxi is approaching and notice car lights coming toward me just as the first flurries of snow fall onto my face.
I glance up at the sky as the car wooshes pass me. Well, at least now I know it isn't the taxi I'm expecting. A shiver runs through me as I rub my hands and try to stay at least relatively warm. Freezing to death before the taxi arrives is the last thing I want to happen.
Thane lied. The longer I wait, the more the realization sinks in that the taxi isn't coming. It has to be another of his cruel jokes. Fucking asshole.
I glance back at the now-closed gate, but I'm too scared to approach it, to press the buzzer and ask if Thane could call the cab company to check how much longer I need to wait for it.
After waiting for half an hour, I’ve had enough and start walking away from the mansion. I jump at every noise and hold onto the hope that the taxi will arrive every time I see a car light turn down the darkened street.
I nearly reach the end of the long street when a black Mercedes pulls up alongside me. I stop and glance at it right as the window rolls down. Relief floods me when I see it's Raidon sitting behind the steering wheel.
"Get in the car, Omega," he growls, and I bite my lip at the name.
Would it really be so hard to call me Zara, not Omega? Their endless taunting is demoralizing, and it makes me feel like I am nothing but a useless mutt to them. But then again, I suppose, in a way, I am nothing but that. It's not like any of them ever try to hide their dislike of me.
"Can you hear me, Omega? I said get in the fucking car. The cab company just called; the taxi that was supposed to pick you up broke down, so I am driving you home." Raidon growls again, freely showing off the displeasure he feels for being forced to deal with me.
I bet they had a whole argument about which of them would be the unlucky soul who has to spend another few minutes in my awful presence, and Raidon is pissed off because Thane decided for them.
Sighing, I glance ahead. I give in and move toward the car. Walking the entire distance to the city would be way worse, so a quick ride back won't kill me. And it won't kill him either, or so I hope.
Raidon leans over, shoves the door open, and I climb in. He doesn't even bother to give me a chance to put on the seatbelt as I am tossed back in my seat when Raidon floors the gas pedal.
As fast as I can, I place on the seatbelt and rub my hands together, attempting to warm them up a little.
At this point, I can't feel the tips of my fingers anymore because they are freezing after spending so much time out in the cold today, my feet are sore from standing in the small heels I wore today, and even my toes are numb from the freezing temperatures.
The first half of the trip is filled with nothing but deafening silence, creating an awful tension in the air that I want to escape the first chance I get.
"Leon. He isn't like that. I swear he isn't. It's just that he lost control," Raidon speaks up out of the blue as we reach the city limit.
I stay quiet and stare out of the car window. Is there anything I can say at this point? It was Leon who attacked me. I did not provoke him in any way. All I am guilty of is trying to do my job.
Ultimately, I don't care what any of them think. It won't change the fact that Leon attacked me. He hurt me, so I'm hardly going to feel sorry for his lack of control.
Thane already managed to make me feel guilty for the mere fact of my existence, anyway.
I still can't shake off the thought of how he glared at me earlier. The image is burned in my mind, and I don’t think it will leave until the day I die.
At this moment, I feel so small, so darn unwanted.
And I know I am unwanted, at least in his eyes, but to see those feelings out on display like that really stung.
Since I still refuse to speak up, Raidon sighs and continues, "It’s not the wisest decision to go to the media and speak about what happened.
I know Thane commanded you not to, but I also know that there are ways around every command, so I thought it is better if I warned you.
Just in case." he says, and the car falls silent again.
I peer out of the window as I breathe out of my mouth so I don't have to inhale his heady scent.
Raidon pulls his car into a nearby McDonald's and goes through the drive-thru.
Great, everything that happened tonight isn't enough for him.
Now, he has to torture me with the strong scent of food I can't afford.
Fucking fantastic way to end a clusterfuck of a workday.