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She didn't see it, the savage hatred that lingered inside him. The kind that made my belly clench.
“Of course,” he answered carefully. “If you want me to."
"I thought we were going home," I said quietly, looking at mom.Please, mom…no.
“Ryth, the fire took everything. There's nothing to go home to.” She stepped around the island toward me. “Anyway, once I get my accounts back, I figured we could get a place around here."
She’s still working on getting us out of here. That’s one thing, I guess. Maybe this thing with Creed was just amistake.I bet she was drunk. I bet they both were. Guilt filled me.
"Which might take a while,” Creed added. “The damn feds seem to have shown a particular interest in your mom. Until then, consider this place home. Do whatever you want to the room. Hell, we can even get you a desk and a chair, maybe even a small bookshelf. What do you think, kid?” He gave me a wink.
Tobias stilled mid swallow. There was a twitch at the corner of his eye, his throat muscles clenching before he finished. The muscles of his jaw tightened as those sparks in his eyes grew colder…until they reminded me of shards.
Shards of glass…
All of a sudden, it felt like battle lines were being drawn. That cold stare pinned me to the spot, and my mom…my momfucking smiled,oblivious to how thatassholewas staring at me. I wanted to lift my hand and hide my cheek. I wanted to back away slowly, until I hit the stairs, then I wanted to run.
I wanted to get out of this house and far away from the chilling way that asshole looked at me, and I wanted that panicked rush swirling inside me to stop. I just wanted it all to stop. Him. Them.
But I had no home to run to, and no other way to get to school halfway across the city to the friends who protected me from the bullying of others.Look at her face. Jesus Christ, you need a paper bag for that! Anyone got a paper bag for Ryth Castlemaine?
The taunts rose in my head. Taunts I knew would come. In a new school, I'd be alone...and vulnerable. In a new school, I’d be fair game.God, please don’t do—
“That’s settled then," Mom beamed, glancing at Creed, who rose from his stool and motioned toward her.
“Looks like we have a few things to organize, we’ll leave you guys alone.” He gave a wink to Tobias as they left, leaving the two of us behind.
“They want us to be friends." I swallowed hard.
He placed his coffee cup on the edge of the island and took a step toward me. "I'm sure they do."
I swallowed hard as the memory of last night returned. The way he looked at me now was just like then. Cold. Savage. Hate rippled from him as he lowered his gaze to my breasts.
I flinched, curling my shoulders as I tried my best to draw away from that stare, and glanced toward the stairs. The thud of my mother's steps now faded.
“You want me to drive you to school, Ryth?”
My name on his lips sounded…wrong.I flinched and jerked my gaze back to him.
"Stop looking at me like that." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Like what?" He took a step, forcing me backwards.
“L-likethat.”
There was a twitch in the corner of his mouth. His perfect, full lips curling. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
But that same savage glare was in his eyes. The same one I'd seen last night when he stood outside his father’s bedroom.
“You want me to be your fucking chauffeur?” he said quietly, his gaze raking down my body once more.
I swallowed hard, taking another step back, then he moved until I hit the counter at the end of the room.Stop it…stop…it…I glanced toward the entrance of the kitchen.
“You looking for someone to save you?” He lifted his other hand and braced it against the cabinet bedside me.
I flinched and jerked my gaze to him. “No.”
“No?”
