Page 29 of Shattered

I had no clue as to how much time had passed, but it must have been significant because the water started to cool.As I raised my upper body to lean forward and turn the faucet back on, I heard someone yelling for me, the voice moving closer and closer to my bathroom door.Before I could move a single inch, the door came crashing open, hitting the wall behind it with an unexpected force.

Note to self: Ask for his set of my keys back.

“Jesus Christ, Sara!” Alek shouted.“I didn’t know what the hell happened to you.Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?I must have called you like a thousand times.”He was quite the sight, deserving every bit of his disheveled state.“I searched everywhere for you.It wasn’t until I talked to my driver that I found out he’d given you a ride home.”He paced back and forth in front of the vanity, shoving his hands through his already ruffled hair.

The only thing I could do was watch him.Even in his disgruntled state, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.Stop thinking this shit.Be angry.Be adamant.But don’t be horny.

No words escaped me.Even if I’d wanted to respond, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.He’d surprised me by not only bursting into my apartment but into my bathroom as well, disrupting the only peace I’d been able to achieve in the past few hours.

My silence was apparently the wrong choice.

“Well?Are you going to answer me or what?”Concern and anger dueled behind his eyes.I knew I’d scared him, but he deserved it, so I wasn’t going to apologize for my disappearance.

“I turned my phone off because I didn’t want to speak to you.And I’m not going to discuss this any further with you, especially while I’m naked in the tub and you’re looming over me in that domineering way of yours.”

“Wearegoing to finish this, so dry off and get dressed, or don’t.It’s up to you.I’ll be waiting in the living room.”He stomped off without waiting for me to reply, which didn’t really shock me at all. Surprisingly.

Grabbing my towel from the rack, I dried off as quickly as possible and made my way to my room to find some clothes.I wasn’t going to rush around like a crazy lady simply because he was pissed and wanted to finish our conversation.I deliberately took my time dressing, donning shorts and a comfy T-shirt.

My lack of quickness had Alek looming in my doorway, his hands shoved into the pockets of his tuxedo pants.His presence took up the entire space, making me feel much smaller. His tie was all but ripped off, hanging to the side as if he’d wrestled with it in anger.

“What’s taking you so long?” he barked.“The longer you make me wait, the more pissed off I am.”

“Well, I don’t give a shit if you’re mad, Alek.I’m the only one here who’s allowed to be pissed off, so just…back off!”My own anger spewed forth, completely out of my control.I’d thought I’d calmed down, but all he had to do was show up and start shouting and it came back full-force.

“Why areyouso upset?What happened?”

I shook my head in wonderment.He really was dense sometimes, or at least he faked it well enough.

“Well, let’s see.First, you totally disregarded my argument about Jacinda, blowing my concerns off, as usual. Then, I caught you kissing her outside the hotel.Does that explain it enough for you?”My own fists clenched at my sides, oddly mirroring him to a tee.

His face instantly changed, his eyes becoming bigger with each word escaping my lips.

“It’s not what you think,” he all but whispered.

“Yeah…it never is, is it, Alek?”I couldn’t control the sarcasm which dripped off every word.

“She kissed me.I didn’t kiss her.And as soon as she pulled her little stunt, I pushed her off me and instantly walked away from her.Did you even stick around long enough to see that part?”He stepped closer.“Did you?”

“It doesn’t matter who kissed who, Alek.”Itdidmatter, but I wasn’t going to let him off the hook.I did witness her make the first move, but he should’ve never been with her in the first place.None of it would’ve happened if he’d taken into account how I felt about her.“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.I want you to go.”

“No.I’m not leaving until this is resolved.I didn’t do anything wrong here.I didn’t kiss her, and I think you know it.I have no interest in her at—”

I cut him off before he finished his repetitive statement.“Yeah, you keep telling me you have no interest in her.Yet, every time I turned around tonight, she was somehow right next to you.Why is that?”

“I don’t know, honestly.I’ve told her repeatedly I don’t have any romantic feelings for her.And she seemed to be okay with it.Well, until she kissed me, that is.”

My last ounce of emotional reserve had finally depleted.I became upset again, but it wasn’t in anger.The truth was, he hurt me.

Tears welled behind my eyes, and even though I didn’t want them to explode, they did.And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.Not anymore.

Both physically and mentally drained, I had to release everything inside me before it ate me up.

“Can you please just go?” I said through my tears, hiccupping between words because I was so upset.“I don’t want to talk anymore tonight.”I tried to shove him from my room, but he wouldn’t budge.Not one inch.Instead, he tried to reach for me, instantly causing me to back up.

“Sara, please.Please, come here.I’m sorry.”He continued to walk toward me and when I had nowhere left to escape, I fell on top of my bed.He lowered himself until our faces were only inches apart.I tried with all of my remaining strength to push him off me, but it was of no use.“Baby.I’m so sorry.Please…please, don’t cry.I never want to hurt you.From now on, I promise I’ll stay away from her.I won’t put myself in that position again.I underestimated her feelings for me and I’m sorry.I can’t apologize enough.Please, forgive me.”

When I said nothing, he leaned in closer and kissed me.His lips were soft yet pleading.He was asking for my trust and forgiveness.For so many things.His mouth lingered on mine until my lips parted, an action which caused him to seize the opportunity to deepen our entanglement.He expertly seized my mouth but before things went too far, I swiftly broke the kiss, turning my head to the side so I wouldn’t lose myself in him any further.

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