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‘I didn’t think Thompson’s were the sort to run away.’ Her words were there to goad me. I knew it, yet I turned back toward her, anyway.
‘No, that’s a McGowan trait.’
‘If we were the types to run, do you think I’d be here?’ Her voice was strained, her fake joviality gone.
‘Maybe you should learn to run. It might have stopped your family from dropping like flies.’
‘But wait, your mother ran, didn’t she? Did it save her?’
My arms tensed as I took another breath. She was pushing a line that she’d better not cross.
‘Leave it Maeve.’
I continued on into the house, my body vibrating with both anger and desire. How could one woman be so bloody infuriating? She needed to learn to sit down, and keep her god damned mouth closed.
A day of evasion in one two-roomed building was exhausting. I fell back onto the soft bed with a groan.
One day down, six to go.
At least at home, I’d be busy working and have far more places to go to get away from Maeve. Everything she did grated at me, mostly because she drove me mad. Either goading me or turning me on. My nerves were shredded.
I took my phone out and scrolled the socials. Katie seemed fine, which sent a wave of relief down my spine. It hadn’t taken much to convince her to stay at her best friend’s house for a few days to avoid being alone with Father.
The door opened, and Maeve let herself in without knocking. I thought that we’d established that the bedroom was mine by her defaulting to the sitting room.
She didn’t even flinch when I gave her a hard stare, just slid into the room and walked over to the bed, pulling back the covers.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Going to bed. You?’ She tucked herself in and lay back.
‘You were sleeping in the other room.’
‘Well, Captain Obvious, it’s not very comfortable. My ass sticks to the leather.’
The last thing I needed was her mentioning her ass while in my bed.
‘You can’t sleep in here.’
‘Then you’d better move to the sofa or find us a place with two rooms. We’re going to have to at your dad’s house, anyway.’ She rolled over and looked at me, her face freckled about her nose where the sun had caught it.
‘Fine. Just stay over there and keep quiet.’
‘Are you afraid I’m not going to be able to control myself? That I’ll pounce on you the moment you fall asleep? No worries, Cameron. I think I’ll manage to restrain myself.’
‘More likely, you’ll slit my throat while I sleep.’
‘While I’m stuck on your dad’s island in the middle of nowhere without my brother’s nearby to help me? I’m not an idiot.’
‘Good,’ I said before staring up at the ceiling, hoping she’d leave if I ignored her.
It took her a long time to settle into sleep, undoubtedly affected by the same strain that I felt. Laying next to her was literally getting into bed with the enemy. I should have got up and left her to the bed, but my stubborn arse didn’t want to relinquish the bed to her. It would be like letting her win. I wouldn’t let her win.
As her breath steadied out into a deeper, more rhythmic sound, I finally looked at her.
Her hair spilled out around her in a dark cloud, silken strands tangling against the pillow. She’d kicked a leg out from the blankets and her short pyjamas gave me a full view from hip to toes. I swallowed hard and flicked my eyes to her face as I reached out, my fingers hovering just above her thigh.
Would she wake up if I stroked a finger down her leg? Would she scream and cuss at me and lash out? Would I have to pin her to the bed until she calmed down? Fuck. Her writhing beneath me would tip me over the edge. The thought of that leg pinned beneath mine made me groan.
