Page 23 of Alpha Brock

“C’mon then.” I gesture for her to follow, starting down the hallway. I don’t look back, but I hear Astrid say her goodbyes to Quinn before jogging to catch up with me.

I don’t know what the fuck to say to her, so I don’t say anything- I just lead her silently to the parking lot, clicking the key fob to unlock the Escalade and climbing into the drivers’ seat. I mean, it was enough that I came back here for her, right? That should show that I’m remorseful for how things went down last night, shouldn’t it?

Astrid climbs into the passenger seat, closing the door behind her and fastening her seatbelt. I’m expecting her to launch into her incessant chattering like she always does, but she’s quiet as I reverse out of my parking spot and pull out of the lot and still silent when I turn down the forest road to head to Riverton. I never thought her silence would drive me even crazier than her constant babbling, but here we are.

“What’s your deal?” I finally blurt, gripping the steering wheel tight and shooting her a sideways glance.

Okay, maybe not the most tactful approach to a conversation…

“Nothing, just leaving you alone like you asked.” Astrid purses her lips, staring out the windshield at the road ahead.

Fuck.So she’s pissed about last night. A tense silence falls over us again, and I let it- because I don’t know what the fuck to say.

“I didn’t mean it, alright?” I grumble after a beat, white knuckling the steering wheel.

I’m met with more silence.

“Alright,” she finally replies, so quietly that I almost don’t hear it.

The way her voice sounds so small has a knot forming in my stomach, and I feel like even more of a fucking douche.

I heave a sigh, scrubbing a hand over my face. “Listen, I’m… I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

I glance over at her beside me, but she’s turned away, gazing out the passenger side window. I look to her reflection and our eyes meet in the window glass.

“I’m sorry, okay?” I mutter. “Fuck.”

She stares back at me through her reflection in the window. “Okay.”

I have to tear my gaze from hers to look back to the road, and she makes it easier on me by leaning back in her seat and turning her head to face forward.

When I look over at her again, she actually looks back at me. She’s still not talking though, which frustrates me to no end.

“So… do you forgive me or what?”

It comes out all wrong, but to my surprise, she responds with a simple “yeah.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Yeah?”

Astrid gives a little nod of her head.

It can’t possibly be that easy, right?

“Just like that?” I press, glancing over at her again.

“Just like that.”

There’s gotta be a catch here. In my experience with women, they’re never this forgiving.

“Why?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“Because what’s the point in holding a grudge?” Astrid sighs, raking a hand through her curly hair and turning to me. “Honestly, we could all be dead in a week or two. Life’s too short to stay mad.”

“Well shit, when you put it that way…” I chuckle wryly.

She shrugs her shoulders, adding, “besides, I’m not really a grudgey person.”

I press my lips into a tight line, waiting for the catch. Because therehasto be one, right? If I said something half as cruel to Annalise as I did to Astrid last night, she would’ve made me suffer for a week. There’s no way Astrid is letting me off this easy.

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