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And this was us choosing to survive the bloodshed. This was us walking away.
Still, I stayed in the class, hoping somehow Finley might seek me out. But he didn’t. Instead, he seemed to grow even colder, distancing himself from even his own shadows across the room.
Max and Pavlov just stood separate, hands clasped in front of them, their gazes scanning the room every so often. My pulse sped as they swept across me, but then they moved away. By the time the class was finished, I was desperate to end the torture.
“Okay, I think that’s all for now,” the lecturer announced.
But I was already rising from my seat and stepping around the others as I headed for the doors. The weight of their gazes settled on me as I hit the handle and let the door fly open and slam against the wall with abang!
My hands fisted, my heart clenched and aching, I made my way out of the building and headed toward my apartment. Heavy steps from my shadow echoed behind me, driving the panic home. I stopped in the middle of the path to my building and turned, finding his dark gaze narrowing.
“Just, stop it.” I lifted my hand. “Stopallof this. Leave me alone.”
The island’s security man just scanned the path around us, his hair lashing his face with the wind, and answered. “Can’t do that, Miss Eden. I’m here for your pro—”
Panic was in the driver's seat now, desperation had its fist around the gears, driving me to step forward, cutting off his words as I growled, “You and I know that’snotmy real name. Now I’m asking you toback the fuck off.”
He shifted his weight and swallowed, but he said nothing, just stared at me with that careful gaze, the one that said he had bigger people to answer to than me. I clenched my fists, my gaze boring into his, until I tore away with a groan and stormed toward the building. I swiped my card and stabbed the button, tears burning my eyes.
But I couldn’t shake the howl of the wind in my head, or the pang in my chest as I stepped inside and rode up to my apartment. When the doors opened, a sweet, delicious smell smacked into me. I strode out and past Kat, who was humming as she stirred a pot on the stove.
“Hey there, stranger,” she called.
But I couldn’t look at her. I couldn’t barely hear her voice. Why the hell couldn’t she have just stayed away until tomorrow? I kept walking, hoping to God she'd just leave me alone.
“Hey, Anna!”Kat called.
Shit.
“Not now, Kat.”
“Whoa.”She came around the counter as I strode into my bedroom.
But there were no goddamn doors in this place.Why the fuck were there no doors?
“What’s going on?” Her eyes were riveted on me as I paced around my bed, unable to stop the movement. Tears welled inside me as the damn wall fractured, desperate to break.
“Nothing.”I forced through clenched teeth.
“Something’s wrong.” She strode into my room and reached for me.
I didn’t want to feel the warmth of her embrace, didn’t want to feel the weight of her caring. I didn’t want to find comfort as she pulled me close. But I did. I felt all those things and more as I buried my face against her neck.
“Hey there,” Kat soothed, holding me tight. “Hey now.”
I reached up, grasped her arms, and tried to push the pain away as a tremor ripped through me.
“What’s going on?” She pulled back. “Talk to me.”
I couldn’t speak, couldn’t even make a sound. My lies were wedged in the back of my throat. I swallowed again and again, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't ease the ache, or unburden my soul.
“It’s the storm, isn’t it?” she said finally.
Relief flickered inside me. Resigned to my fate, I gave a slow nod.
“I knew it. I hate them, too. Hate that caged, restless feeling. Hate how loud the wind sounds, and how the windows tremble. But I’m here now. I’m here and I’m going to stay. I told Damon if he wants to see me, he can come and stay here. I can’t leave my best friend alone, not anymore.”
Her face blurred under a sheen of tears as I lifted my gaze. Of all the fucking times for Kat to grow a damn conscience, she picked the one night I was going to leave! That was the real kicker, wasn’t it? That’s why I felt so caged, and heavy with the burden. It had nothing to do with the storm.
