Page 100 of The Twilight Theft

Why wasn’t it working tonight?

Next up, I curled my toes into the carpet.Deep breath. Relax the toes.Deep breath. Curl.Deep fucking—

My knee buckled under me, and I quickly shifted my weight to the right.

Why would I think anything could make me feel better? Scarlett had thrown me out. What use was a thief who couldn’t walk? There was no sneaking with a limp, let alone with the knee brace hampering my flexibility.

No climbing buildings while wearing that damn thing.

It sat on the bed, taunting me.

I’d gotten it out of my bag, but there was no way I was putting it on. I could walk the injury off. A little ice, some ibuprofen, and I’d be good as new.

Eventually.

Wyatt’s revelations about Drew spun in my brain. I was only concerned with my stomach. I was reckless. He was afraid I’d ruin everything. Wanted me on a short leash.

Someone knocked on the door.

It wasn’t room service—they’d already dropped off both my orders, which I hadn’t touched. The late-night waffles had seemed like a good idea, then the even-later-night pizza should have hit the spot. But other than the complimentary bottle of water, my stomach had refused everything.

When Drew and I had sparred in Gideon’s office bathroom, Ihadbeen flirting with him, no matter what I said to Emmett after. It was stupid and foolish. I’d thought he was flirting back, but I was only a job.

A liability to be managed.

The knock came again. They’d leave if I ignored them long enough. It was past the hour anyone should come to my room unless I was expecting them.

“Jayce?” The sound of Drew’s voice twisted a knot in my gut. What did he want? Had Scarlett sent him to summon me?

“Go away,” I snapped.

I wanted to open the door, punch him in the gut, and prove I wasn’t the weak link on the team. But the second I saw his rich brown eyes and the jaw I knew he’d be clenching, I’d lose my nerve. I’d want him to wrap his arms around me so I could pretend I wasn’t such an utter failure.

“We need to talk.” His deep, gravelly voice lit up pathways in my brain I didn’t want to be lit up.

“I’m busy icing my knee.”

“And I’m not leaving until you let me in.” The light shifted in the small space under the door, followed by a gentle thud. What was he doing?

I checked the peephole. The hallway was empty, except—wait—he was sitting on the floor, leaning against the door. “I told you to leave me alone, Drew.”

“Yeah, I tried that.”

I kept my face plastered against the door, waiting for him to go. Was he really going to stay there until I let him in?

A couple of women in ultra-short dresses wandered along the hallway, growing silent as they got closer. They slowed and one of them said, “Locked out of your room?”

He waved, acting as though this was a normal Saturday night for him. “Just having a small fight with the girlfriend.”

I hollered through the door, “I’m not his girlfriend!”

“Okay, maybe a big fight,” he chuckled.

The women stopped and looked at the door. “Have you called the police?”

Drew put both of his hands up. “It’s just a disagreement. I said some stupid things to her and am trying to apologize.”

The woman in the longer dress smiled at Drew, but the one in the shorter said, “Do you need us to call the cops? Wait until they arrive?”

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