I flinch as he throws my own words back at me, from The Horny Bard.
“I’m not —”
“But before that,” his chest moves on a sigh, “you need to get out of here.”
“I —”
“He isn’t in any shape to listen to you. And you don’t wanna listen to whatever he might have to say when he’s like this.” He glances down at my fists in his t-shirt. “Might break your pink little heart.”
“Yeah, like you care,” I scoff more from habit than anything else.
But then I pause.
Because he pauses too.
He was in the process of removing my hands from his body but at my words, he freezes for a second and I’m left… silent and thinking.
And what I’m thinking is…
It’s frankly ridiculous.
It’s hilarious actually.
I don’t even know why the thought occurred to me. Why would it flash through my mind even for a microsecond? That he’s somehow trying to… protect me.
Protect.Me.
I mean, it’s the most nonsensical thing I’ve ever thought in my life.
But before I can stop myself, I ask, tightening my grip on his t-shirt, “Is that why you told me to stay away from him? Back at The Horny Bard. Because he’s changed and he might break my heart.”
He shoots his eyes up, again trying to dislodge my hands. “Your pink little heart, but yes.”
Oh my God.
Oh my freaking God.
Heis.
Heistrying to protect me.
He is…
What a fucking asshole.
What a fucking jerk.
Afteryearsof tormenting me, putting me down, making me feel less than,nowhe swoops in to protect me. I mean, where does he get off?
For several seconds, I can’t say anything.
I’m speechless. I’m fucking…
But I need to say something. I need to approach this. Whatever this is.
Whateverridiculousjoke this is.
“Okay, let’s talk about this,” I begin, looking him in the eyes, letting go of his t-shirt. “Because I feel like we need to talk about this. And it’s the craziest thing that I’ve ever said but here goes.” I take a deep breath. “You don’t need to protect me.”