Page 21 of The Retaliation You Deliver
I’m pleasantly surprised by the time I get there because I feel nowhere near as bad as the last time and when I look at myself in the mirror, I feel almost normal aside from the pounding at my temples.
But what stares back at me in my reflection, however, that is a freaking mess.
Leon Dunn, what have you done to me?
I stand there for long minutes just telling myself that I’m okay. What happened… happened. Now it’s time to move on.
I know that’s the truth, that he’s not going to want anything to do with me now, hell, I should want even less to do with him after the way he treated me. So why does my chest ache as I consider never seeing him again?
I want to say it’s fear for what he’s going to do now that he’s got the information he wanted. But it’s not. In all honesty, I don’t care what he does next. That’s exactly why I’ve done nothing about the fact he knows of my uncle’s whereabouts.
Plus, he’s safe there. He pays thousands a month to ensure his privacy and safety. I highly doubt Leon’s going to be able to walk straight in and act on the revenge he craves so much.
I wash up before pulling on an oversized hoodie to hide in and finally, when I can wait no longer for coffee, I slip out of my room.
Voices carry down the hall to me the second I close my door behind me and my stomach drops into my feet knowing I’m going to have to say something about why I’m here.
I should be in Miami having the time of my life with Leon. But here I am nursing a hangover and dare I say it… a broken heart.
No.
I slam that thought down the second it hits me.
He can’t have broken anything that didn’t belong to him.
Throwing my shoulders back, I gather some inner strength from somewhere deep inside, hell knows I know it exists after what I’ve been through in my life and with my head held high, I walk toward the kitchen as if this is just another Saturday morning.
“M-Macie?” Nathan stutters the second I emerge.
“Morning,” I sing, wincing as my overly happy voice hits my ears.
Way to go trying to look like everything is normal. Well done, Macie.
“Uh… shouldn’t you be in Miami?” he asks, his eyes following me toward the kitchen as I grab a mug.
“Yeah… change of plans.”
His stare burns into my back.
“You okay, Mace?” Jace pipes up.
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be? I’d much rather be here than in Miami anyway.”
I kick myself for saying too much knowing that I look like I’m making too much of an effort to convince them.
I sense Nathan step up behind me and the dread in my belly only gets worse.
He’s not going to let this go. He’s already warned me what he’ll do if Leon hurts me.
“Macie? He growls, and I drop my arm from where I’ve just started the coffee maker.
“Everything is okay, Nate. Really.”
“Yeah? Then turn around and look me in the eyes as you say that.”
Fine.
Spinning on my toes, I tell myself that I can easily convince him I’m fine. I’ve been convincing the world of something similar since the day my mom died, sending my life into what seems to be one very long roller coaster ride that I just know is going to crash at some point.
