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CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Natasha was nice enough to check on me after I stormed out of the party. Luckily, she brought a bottle of wine with her, which I was now finishing off, as I sat on the edge of one of the balconies.
The cool air was nippy, and if I wasn’t careful, I’d end up careening over the side of the building to my death, but I didn’t care.
The twinkling of the city light, and the distant noise of traffic made me feel an odd sense of peace. I’d always loved New York, and something about sitting high above it cleared my head.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
Leo’s voice startled me, and I nearly did fall right off the edge of the building. Luckily, I managed to catch myself before tumbling off.
“Fuck,” he mumbled, as he raced forward. His large, warm hand grabbed hold of me. “Why the fuck are you sitting on the ledge like that?”
I jumped down from my perch and brushed off his hands. “Leave me alone,” I ordered. “I’m not in the mood for you right now.”
I straightened my shoulders and gave him my most withering glance, hoping that he would take the hint.
“I’m not going to just leave you here.”
I glanced down at my watch. It was the only thing I wore religiously. My father had given it to me on my sixteenth birthday, and though there had been many moments over the evening that I thought about chucking it off, I hadn’t.
As pissed off as I was at the world around me, the watch still meant something.
“I told you,” Leo continued. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Well, no one asked you to come looking for me. The fact that I slapped you in the face probably should have been an indication that I want you to stay away from me.” I tried to get past him, but he reached out and grabbed my wrist.
“Let me go.” My voice was low, and I gripped the wine bottle in my hand.
Leo let go of me and took a step back, almost as though he could see me contemplating slamming the wine bottle across his face. And I would do it with absolutely no problem.
Leo released a heavy breath and took a step back.
“Did my father send you to drag me back to the party? Because I am not going.”
“Your father wanted to come and drag you back by your hair. I told him that I would come and find you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course, he did. I’m sure that he’s pissed.”
Leo shrugged. “I don’t really want to be talking about your father right now.”
“And I don’t want to talk at all. The only reason that I haven’t left yet is because of Natasha. She doesn’t want to be stuck here alone.” I was considering doing just that. I did not want to have a run-in with my father. After he grabbed me from the last party, I knew marrying Leo was to the upmost importance to him, and that he would do anything to ensure that we married.
I still was not sure why.
I walked past Leo. I was going to need a new place to hide.
“I’m sorry.”
That stopped me in my tracks, and despite not wanting to, I turned around. “What?” I asked.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said.”
If it were anyone else, I would have continued walking. Most apologies, in my experience, were just ways for people to sweep problems under the rug. But, as I looked at Leo’s face, I could see sincerity in his eyes.
“Why did you say it if you didn’t mean it?” I challenged.
“Oh, I meant it.”
