Page 374 of As the Rain Falls
“You really thought you could avoid me forever,” Nathaniel chuckles, his voice low and dark.
No, I think.
It’d be stupid to assume Nathaniel would simply let me go. This is how things always go down with someone like my brother: no matter how far I go, how fast I run, he’ll play catch-up.
I turn around slowly.
Nathaniel stands just a few feet away from me, back turned to Mateo’s apartment building, face half-shadowed by the still flickering streetlight. His hands are in his jacket pocket, the one that smells a little like smoke and a little like something else.
Something sharp and metallic.
He stinks of dried blood.
I can almost taste it on my tongue.
“What are you doing here?” my voice is too steady, defeated. “I already told you to leave me alone.”
Through texts, mostly.
Nathaniel has been threatening me for days, using every single excuse he can to try to see me. Except this time, I’m way too over it to care. There’s only so much humiliation someone can take until their mind starts to shut down. Mine is almost there, as far as I can tell.
“I guess I had to see it.” He shrugs, acting nonchalantly. “The little setup. The boyfriend.”
“What do you think of it?” I dare to ask.
“Impressive,” Nathaniel admits with a nod, and waves a finger towards the balcony. “I have to say, that was a hell of a kiss.”
Beckett.
Lucia.
My friends.
I can’t let him get to them ever again.
“You have to go.” I step back, keeping my tone firm. “I’m not going home for the time being. What I’m doing with my life is none of your business anymore, Nathaniel.”
Nathaniel steps closer. “You’re my family, Cassandra. Everything you do will always be my business.”
“Stop!”
His eyes shine dangerously, and I take another step back instinctively.
“Go away!”
“No, you’re the one that needs to stop,” his voice drops, coaxing me to stop moving. “Don’t do that. Don’t act like I’m the bad guy here.”
“I used to be scared of you.” I shake my head, refusing to oblige. If I have to lie my way out of this situation, I will. “But I’m not going to let you hurt me anymore.”
His mouth twitches, like he’s amused. “I’m a bad person? Is that so?”
“You…” I hesitate. “You know what you did!”
“I hurt you? Is this really what happened?”
“Yes!” I snap.
“Well, I remember a very different story, Cassandra.” Nathaniel’s green eyes shine so brightly as he shrugs. “But I get it. It’s just easier to keep playing the victim, huh?”
