AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I understand,” I sniffle.
He can’t keep me here forever, I tell myself on repeat while I wait for him to fall asleep. I pretend to sleep too, until I feel his breathing evening out and his hold on me loosening.
Even after that, I wait and wait…and wait. I need to get out of here, but I’m so scared any movement will wake him. After what feels like hours, I shift. The slightest movement just to test the waters.
He doesn’t react, so I do it again. A bigger movement. On the third try, I manage to get out of his loose hold. I stand by the bed, the door on the other side of it.
Making my way on the tips of my toes, I reach the ajar door. I push, biting my lower lip and wishing it doesn’t make a noise. The slightest squeak resonates in the room, and I freeze, hearing him take a deep breath. He shifts in bed. I squeeze my eyes shut, expecting him to see me any second now.
Nothing.
I open my eyes and watch him sprawled out on his front. He took his t-shirt off at some point, though I’m not sure when. Maybe I fell asleep while I was waiting. The last thing I remember is him sliding under the covers with his t-shirt and boxers on. My stomach twists looking at his strong back, the muscles seem bulged even in his sleep. As if he’s got never-ending tension in his body.
I hurry into the hallway and find my jeans drying in the bathroom. A wave of shame engulfs me at the knowledge he’s the one who had to take care of me. The attack was awful, and he ensured I was home and safe. He washed me and put me to bed.
He protected me.
Stop it, Alex.
He lied to you.
He used you.
My jeans are still damp, but I put them on anyway. I find my purse on the top of the washing machine and check that my phone is in it before heading back to the hallway.
I have to walk past his room again, and I have a near heart attack when his voice comes out.
“Letting you leave this house doesn’t mean I’m allowing you to break us up.”
With a hand on my chest, I turn to face him. He’s sitting on his bed. In the dark, I can barely make out his form. He seems to have calmed down some if he’s willing to let me leave.
“You lied to me, Xi.” I watch him run a hand through his hair, even though I still can’t make out his features.
Uncaring, probably. Unimpressed. Apathetic.
“I didn’t have a choice.” His tone portrays no regret. It never relays anything.
Tears well in my eyes. “There’s always a choice,” I rasp.
“Alex, I fucked up.” A beat. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m sorry. I am so deeply sorry. I tried…”
I wipe my eyes before the tears fall. “When did it start?” I squeeze my eyes shut and attempt to swallow the ball stuck in my throat. Heartbreak hurts. It really does. “When did you start using me? Was it all planned? The parking lot that day? Did you have someone steal my car so you could rescue me?”
He shakes his head. “My guys stole your car, but it had nothing to do with your dad. It was just an expensive car we could get a lot of money from.”
I sniffle, the rest of his plan becoming clear to me as my chest seems intent on imploding. “But bringing it back to me was part of the plan. Seducing me was the plan.”
“I tried to tell y—”
“Listening, caring, and protecting me…that was all part of the plan.” Oh God, saying it out loud is so much worse.
It makes it so obvious that it was a lie, because why would someone care for me so profoundly.
I gasp a breath, my heart squeezing in my swollen chest. It feels too tight in there.
“Alex—”
“You made me feelspecial!” I wail desperately. Tears fall as a sob shakes my body. I drive past the pain inside me only to add a few more whispered words. “You said you wouldn’t break my heart.”
