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“Maybe I would if you’d stop losing your shit on me and have an actual conversation like an adult.”
“Maybe I would if you were someone worth talking to!”
“Whatever.” He got to his feet and wiped his hands together, like he was physically brushing off all responsibility or concern for me. “I’m done being your verbal and emotional punching bag. Keep bracing and icing your arm and knee until the pain fades and you have your full range of motion back.”
“Anything else?” I stood, hating that I had to look up at him, even if it was only two inches.
“Yeah, don’t be a moron and push yourself or you’ll end up back in my ER and it’ll take twice as long to get better.”
“Fine.”
“And stay out of the club until your eye fatigue fades. You only have one brain. Don’t fuck it up any more than you already have.”
“Are you done?”
“So fucking done.”
“Good. Now get out.”
“Gladly.” He turned on his heel.
“Go back to your perfect life and leave me alone.”
He took a step, his shoulders tense, fists clenched.
“I don’t need your charity or your concern. You’re nothing to me.”
He whirled around, his face twisted up in anger.
It was the first time I’d seen Caleb lose control, and something inside mesnapped.
Fuckyes. This was what I needed. To see his perfect façade crack open and act like a fucking human.
“What?” I took a half step closer.
“Donotfuck with me.” Caleb’s dark eyes flashed with something I couldn’t read. He crossed his arms and stood up straighter.
“And what are you going to do about it?”
He glowered at me.
A small part of my brain knew I should shut up, but being able to unleash all the pent-up frustration and hurt inside me was exhilarating.
“That’s right. You’re just going to stand there because we both know you’re too chicken shit to do something about it.”
“Last. Warning.” His voice was low and raspy, his eyes blazed with what looked like fury.
Good. I hated how fucking neutral he was. How he could just stand there with his poker face like a goddamn robot all the time. I wanted him to lose control the way I did every time we were in the same room.
“For what? What are you possibly going to do to me? Stare disapprovingly? Keep judging and thinking you’re better than me? Well guess what, you’re not.”
He flattened his lips, his jaw and throat working as he swallowed hard.
“You’re nothing to me. I don’t need your help or your pity. Go back to your perfect life and complain about whatever the fuck you assholes think are real problems. Too much ice in your morning iced coffee? Cashier going too slow? Having to decide between going to the beach or the mountains for your vacation?”
“Stop. Talking.” His voice shook. The muscles in his arms popped as his entire body tensed.
“What? Hit a little too close to home?”
