Page 80 of Diem

“Me? Where else would I be when you screamed bloody murder over the phone and hung up on me?” he whisper-shouts.

“Really? You came all the way down here for little ‘ol me?” I sneer.

His brows slam over his eyes, and he grabs my arms. “Where the fuck were you?”

“Let go of me,” I hiss.

“Not until you tell me where you were.”

Of course, I hesitate because it’s none of his damn business. Besides, he’ll only tell me how stupid I am, and I know that already.

“Mae,” he growls.

“I was out with Harriet. Is that okay, your highness?”

His nostrils flare and I look away because despite the topic of this fucked up conversation, my skin is tingling at his touch.

“Where? Harriet? Shit, Mae.” Yes, I lied but in this I know what telling the truth will get me. Fucker.

“Yes,” I say, backing up. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“You made it my damn business when you called me,” he says.

“Look, I’m sorry. I was scared but it’s fine. I was overreacting.”

“Why?” He cocks his head and I sigh. He’s like a damn bull.

“She left me alone, but she came back. Can we be done now?” I inject a snotty tone hoping to distract him and for half a second, I think it worked until he shakes his head.

“Where?”

“I don't know where, I didn’t drive.”

“Let me get this straight, you went somewhere with Harriet, but you don’t know where? Are you out of your mind?”

“Yes.” Defeated, I drop to the bed and bury my face in the pillow.

I’m still trying to come to terms with what happened out there. Who turned on the lights in the car?

What did Penny see?

“Maeve,” Diem chuffs and I wave behind me.

“Not now, please.” My voice breaks because of course I’m going to cry.

Squinching my eyes closed I pray he’ll just leave, and suck in a breath when the bed dips and his warm body surrounds mine. “Diem—“

“Just sleep,” he says gruffly, and I fall silent, staring at the wall until sleep pulls me under.

When I wake later, he’s gone.

Although his presence was a balm, I’m still left with the knowledge that I’m in too deep now.

Who knew we were out there?

Chapter Seventeen

Maeve

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