It’s locked. She locked me out.
Hissing, I take my hand back and pace back and forth, ruminating whether to kick the door in or lure her out. When I get my hands on her...she’ll never dare to lock me out ever again. Fuck that little girl!
Knocking on the door, I sneer when I hear her gasp. “My sweet, there seems to be something wrong with your little lock. I can’t get in.”
“That’s because I don’t want you here, Nate,” she hisses on the other side and as wretched as it is, I still shudder with longing when she says my name. “Go away.”
Clenching my teeth, I snarl in a low voice. “Have I upset you?”
She stays silent for a moment before stuttering, “Oh Nate, I’m just not in the mood t...tonight.”
A fog covers my eyes, turning everything blurry and for a moment I lose my balance. Not in thefuckingmood.
She’s being self-seeking and not caring the least about my survival.
It has nothing to do with being in the mood or not. It has to do with need and I’m turning into ice over here. I drag a deep breath. “Don’t push me away, Amabella. I long to be with you as always. Let us be friends again.”
“I don’t think I can be your friend anymore, Nate,” Amabella croaks like she’s about to burst into tears. “Or your sweetheart.” She drags a breath. “Just go away. I need to be alone.”
She needs to be alone... so she can use her little grey cells to form a firm opinion about me. One that says I’m not someone she should go near ever again. But I did warn her. I told her to reject me. She refused. And now it’s too late.
It was too late from the moment I saw her.
Leaning against her door, I hug it, my hands sliding down the wood and I drag ragged breaths, remembering my hands sliding down her curves, my mouth on her and the way she wriggles in my arms like a little mistress of the dark. My eyes shudder and I go to my hunches, looking through the keyhole. She’s standing in the middle of the room with a blanket pressed to her chest as if she thinks I’m all seeing.
It’s the same blanket I used to cover her body the day she fell through the ice.
Then she begged me to stay.
Now she’s begging me to leave and if I could I’d rip my own heart out and hand her the pieces. Maybe that would teach her a lesson on how to be more compassionate.
Taking a step to the door, she whispers, “Nate, are you still there?” I don’t reply and she walks closer, hesitating as if she thinks I’m going to barge right in. Licking her lips, she lowers to the floor, lifts her face and looks through the keyhole.
Our eyes meet and she gasps, falling on her back and she whimpers when I let out a dark chuckle. Horrified, she rises and jumps into bed with the blanket up to her chin and she’s gone still as if she thinks I won’t see her if she just doesn’t move.
“Good night, Amabella,” I purr. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
And then I’ll take precautions to make sure she never keeps me out again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Amabella
I wake up late that Saturday morning the next day. Last night I barely got any sleep and I lay around in bed almost until noon because I don’t dare leaving the room. He wants me to come out and I stop breathing every time a shadow moves underneath the crack of the door. I know its Nate, because dad and Bryce just aren’t that attentive.
Only when I’m hundred percent sure the coast is clear, do I dare sneak out. Hurrying downstairs, I search for dad and find him in his office. His face is all red, his body brimming with energy and I know who’s responsible.Nate. He makes dad feel like the literary rock star he’s always wanted to be and Nate’s got this whole house wrapped around his finger.
Once, he had me wrapped too but not anymore.
I’ve finally come to my senses. Clearing my throat I shoot dad a pale smile when he turns to me. “I was wondering when you would wake up,” he murmurs. “Nate’s been asking for you.”
Tensing, I drag a nervous hand through my hair. “Dad, don’t you think Nate’s been staying here for a little too long? You and I are so busy with the new book and I think it would be good for us if things went back to normal.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” dad drawls. “I’ve never felt more inspired and Nate is a walking, talking human encyclopedia.” He shakes his head as if impressed. “The brilliance of that man...”
Biting my lip, I pull my sleeves down because I’m feeling chilly. “I don’t want him in the house anymore,” I say with flashing eyes. “I want him to leave, please dad.”
Dad frowns at me. “Amabella, stop this nonsense. I have enough on my plate. I don’t have time for dealing with your tantrums.”