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And the worst thing about it was that she seemed to be exactly that idiot.
Where was Sol leading?
‘We’re going to the cafeteria?’ she guessed, as she stretched out her stride trying to keep up with him.
He seemed sharper, edgier than usual.
‘Yes.’
‘Sol, it’s been a long shift. I don’t want to eat here. I’d rather just finish my shift and go home.’
‘You’re not eating here.’ He stopped, taking her chin in his hands and tilting her head up to his.
The look he shot her was altogether too hot, and she shivered at the naughty thoughts that he could stir up with just a glance.
&nbs
p; Her breath caught in her chest. Almost painful as it lodged there.
‘What’s going on, Sol?’
He turned her so that she was looking in through the internal cafeteria window.
‘Can you see that woman sitting at the table over there? Sixties to seventies? Red coat on the back of the chair?’
Anouk scanned the room, focussing on the area where he was pointing. There was no reason in the world for her heart to thump. But it did.
‘Why? Who is she?’
‘That’s your grandmother, Anouk. Your father’s mother. Mal found her.’
Something dark, and angry, and...panicky rolled through her.
‘Malachi did?’ She could hear things crashing around her. It took a moment to realise it was in her head. ‘You had your brother track her down?’
How could Sol have contacted her grandmother behind her back? How could he have brought her here? How could he have ambushed her like this?
Anouk didn’t know how long she stood there. Probably only a few seconds but it felt like days. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her fingernails scored marks deep into her palms. And then she was spinning around, plunging back across the room, knocking chairs flying outside a consultation room, but wholly unable to stop, or turn, or pick them back up.
Sol caught up with her as she tore along the corridor away from the dining area.
‘Anouk, stop. Stop. Don’t run away.’
‘Don’t run away?’ she snapped, her voice just about managing to work again. ‘Don’t run away?’
This time it was louder. She felt Sol’s hands on her shoulders and she shrugged them off with a violence she would never have thought she possessed.
‘Anouk—’
‘How dare you do that to me?’ she roared, because it was either that or give into this thing spiralling inside her that would make her crumple and fold.
She was dimly aware of Sol checking up and down the corridor as staff moved curiously through, before he tested a few doors and then pulled her into a consultation room. She didn’t know whose. She didn’t care.
Fear and anger duelled inside her, and she couldn’t risk letting the former win.
‘You just need to hear her out, Anouk.’ Even the black look on his face couldn’t deter her.
‘Why, because you think I should? I’m not ready to do that yet. And you don’t get to be the one to order me otherwise.’
