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“Sneaking food now?”
Everything in my arms ends up on the floor when I jump. The mayo rolls away, and Colt bends to pick it up. He’s smirking when he straightens and plops the jar on the counter. “You’re jumpy, aren’t you?”
“I guess that has something to do with people sneaking up on me in the middle of the night.” I gather everything else together but don’t know what to do now. Make the sandwich? Walk away?
“Go ahead,” he murmurs, passing me on his way to the fridge. “I’m not stopping you. Just try to leave some for us.”
“I don’t think I could eat a whole pound of turkey at once.”
He seems to be in a decent mood, but I know better than to think that will last.
“You didn’t come down to eat last night, so you must be hungry.”
My hand shakes a little, but I steady it before he can see when he closes the door and turns toward me. “Why are you paying attention to me?”
“I have no idea. But I noticed.”
“I wasn’t hungry then.” My body stiffens, and it’s hard to breathe when he closes the distance between us, reaching over me to grab a few slices of turkey. “Excuse me. I’ll be out of your way in a second.”
“You’re not in my way. Right now.”
I pile turkey and cheese on a slice of bread, throwing it together sloppily to get back to my room. The only place I feel safe. “I’ll stay out of your way as much as I can. I usually do, anyway.”
“Yeah, yeah. So you say. But you still can’t seem to stay away from me. Why do you think that is?”
It’s no use. He won’t stop talking in circles. “I know this is fun for you, even if I can’t understand why. It’s not for me. I only want to get some food and go back to my room. Can I do that, please?”
He rolls up a slice of turkey and takes a bite before chewing thoughtfully. “You know, you might get a lot further along in life if you’d be a little nicer.”
“Nicer? Next thing, you’ll be telling me I should smile more.” Before he can do that, I speak over him. “I’m not the one who started this. All I’m interested in is keeping myself safe from the two of you.”
He stares at me for what feels like a lifetime before nodding slowly. “Don’t let me stop you. Take your sandwich. Keep yourself safe from me.”
I can’t honestly believe he thinks he isn’t a threat. Not after the way he’s treated me all this time. Not after what he did to me.
“I will keep myself safe from you and your crazy family.” I’m not sure how yet, but I’ll find a way.
“Nix told me. My dad finally showed you his… other side.”
I was wondering if Colt knew. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Nix told him. Thinking about that situation has me reaching for my neck. James left some nice finger-sized bruises on the tender skin under my ears. I gently rub the spot, wondering if Colt can see it in the dim light.
“Is that what you call that?”
“What would you call it?” His eyes zone in on my neck before they darken. His jaw ticks, and his lips pull up in a tiny snarl. Is he mad that his dad touched me? More likely, he is mad that he wasn’t there.
“I guess the other side fits… deranged, insane, and unstable would work as well.”
“I don’t care what you call it. It is what it is, and there is no changing it.”
It is what it is? What kind of bullshit answer is that?
“We’ll see about that.” I make a grab for the food and stop just short of running down the hall, walking as fast as I can and jogging up the stairs. I keep an eye on the hall but don’t see him emerging from the kitchen before I reach the second floor. I guess he’s in the mood for a brief truce.
I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to let my guard down.
CHAPTER 18
At first, I don’t know what pulled me out of a deep sleep. I only know I woke with a start, my head leaving the pillow, and my heart in my throat. The chair is firmly in place in front of the door, so it’s not that.
Another round of pounding against the door makes me sit up. So that’s what woke me. This time, it’s not enough to bang. “Hey! Let’s go! You’re holding us up here,” Colt barks.
“What are you talking about?” I throw my legs over the side of the bed, fuzzy-brained the way I normally am when I’m ripped from sleep.
“Let’s go! You’ve got work! And you’re going to be late.”
Work. Yet another thing I have no control over. How am I supposed to know when these two want to go for a workout if they don’t tell me beforehand? How can he accuse me of running late when I don’t operate on a schedule in the first place? This is too bizarre.
