Page 75 of In Love and War
I blinked back at him with my mouth open.
He cannot be for real.
“I’m…?Zac, why areyouwet?”
He didn’t answer, but his eyes flickered over to something behind me. I looked back and saw that two of the security guards were watching us through the glass doors, one of them talking into his walkie-talkie.
Perfect. Now I’m going to have to move.
“We can’t do this here. Follow me,” I said with an exasperated sigh. I was at the absolute end of my rope.
“Amelia, I don—”
“No,” I interrupted him, seething. “You don’t get to argue with me right now. You dropped me offthree hours ago,Zac. And you’re fucking soaked. I deserve an explanation. Shut up and follow me.”
I turned around and stormed back into the building, ignoring the two guards and the stares coming at us from the concierge desk. I walked straight into the bedroom when we entered my apartment, throwing open a drawer and taking out a men’s T-shirt and a pair of sweats before I stomped back into the dimly lit living room where he was waiting. I tossed them toward him.
“They’re probably going to be a little small, but it’s better than what you’ve got on,” I said, crossing my arms.
He caught the clothes and frowned down at them, then looked back up at me, his expression iced over. “It’s fine. I don’t think I’ll be staying long.”
“They’re Kai’s,” I clarified.
Not that I owed him an explanation as to why I had men’s clothes stashed away in my apartment. But he eased as soon as I said it.
“I’ll change when you do. You’re still shivering.” His jaw was set.
“Are you seriously this stubborn? This isn’t a negotiation, Zac. How did you even get wet? You had a car with you.”
“I got out of it. A few times.”
“In the pouring fucking rain?Why?”
“Because I didn’t think our conversation was over. There were things I wanted to say to you. I got out so that I could come up here and try to explain… but I kept hesitating and going back. Because I think you’re right. There’s no point. None of this should have ever happened in the first place.” His face was blank when he explained himself, his voice flat.
“So why didn’t you leave?” My voice trembled. I was a lot worse at hiding my emotions than he was.
He tossed the dry clothes on the couch and walked over to where I was standing. His gaze traced my under-eyes and cheeks, and the frown he was wearing deepened. I knew the second the realization hit him, because his entire demeanor changed.
“You’ve been crying?”
My hands bolted to my face, wiping at the mascara residue that undoubtedly trailed my tears, giving me away.
“The rain,” I lied. “Answer my question.”
He didn’t believe me.
“Zac, don’t… please. Don’t look at me like that.” My head dropped down. I couldn’t handle him looking at me like that.
He took a step forward. I took one back.
“Answer my question. Why didn’t you leave?” I did a final wipe of my cheeks with my sleeve and looked back up to his face.
“Ask me something else,” he swallowed, his voice tight.
My initial instinct was to argue, but a different question came to my mind instead.
“What were you going to say… if you came up here, what would you have said?” I asked instead.
