Page 43 of Bryce

She was alsoaccustomed to being here on her own and was not afraid. Just a littleedgy, jumpy, and damned weepy. It was seeing the baby, she sniffed asshe walked through the kitchen and put away the meal Jessica had leftfor her.

She was not hungry.Storing everything away, she decided to check on the other rooms tomake sure that all the windows and doors were secure.

She checked the roomsthat had been occupied by the couples and secured the windows,tugging against the wind.

And deliberatelybypassed his suite. She would check on that later, she told herselfas she hurried past the door and went into the tidy family room.Seeing that the glass doors were slightly ajar, she hurried to closethem and stood watching in awe as the storm lashed the earth withpetty vengeance.

Lightening lit thesky, and the boom of thunder followed. Leaves bowed to the majesticdemands and fury of the rain. Putting the candle down on an antiquetable, Zahra stood there for a minute, transfixed and unable to move.

It took her severalminutes to gather her thoughts. Picking up the candle, she was aboutto turn and leave when she heard the unmistakable sounds of footstepson the hardwood floor.

It froze her for aminute, and she had to take some deep breaths to quiet the suddenhammering inside her chest.

It was the wind orjust her very active imagination, she decided. There were times inthe past when she swore she heard someone walking up and down thestairs and had laughed at the fancy.

Her hand flew to herchest when the doorknob started turning. A vagrant, they did not getmuch of them in town, but this one was obviously trying to find a wayto shelter from the storm.

Well, there wereplenty of shelters in town and she was not going to be staying herewith a stranger. Not bloody likely.

She was holding thecandle and flashlight like a shield, when the door was shoved open.The scream erupted from her throat and had the man stumbling back.

She was about topounce when she shined the light on a very familiar face.

“What thehell!”

“Bryce?”

“Who the devildid you think it was?”

“What are youdoing here?” Ignoring the happy jig of her heart, she roundedon him. “You’re supposed to be gone.”

“I decided tostay. Did not like the look of the clouds.” He eyed her for aminute. He had been fast asleep, drunk more accurately. And he had noidea there was a fury raging outside.

“What were youplanning on doing with those?” He gestured to the flashlightand candle.

“Defendmyself.” Feeling foolish, she blew out the candle. “Areyou hungry?”

His brows lifted atthat. “I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.”

“You’restill a guest…,” she stepped back when his eyesglittered dangerously.

“Is that what Iam?”

“Look, I havesaid all I am prepared to say. Now if you would excuse me. I havesome…”

“Shut the hellup.”

He stunned her intoimmediate silence and had her staring at him in shock.

“How dareyou…!”

“Quiet.”His tone was authoritative and it did the job.

“You hurt me.”His deep voice was thick with emotions. “You sliced me withwords, because you knew where it would hurt me the most.” Hecame forward and she forced herself to stay where she was. The rainwas lashing outside, but it was nothing compared to what washappening indoors.

“You know mebetter than anyone else, knew what I had been through, and you usedthat against me.” He was brimming with anger, as if it waspouring out of him. “I drank. Last night and this morning, Iwent through two bottles of scotch to try and dull the pain.

But I decided that Iwas not going to let you shove me out of your life. I deserve yourcontempt and unforgiveness and I accepted that.” His handslifted to gripped her arms, fingers biting into flesh. His eyes wereblazing, his mouth a thin line. “But you’re not doingthat to me. To us.”

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