Page 60 of After The Storm

“What the hell? Why’d you take that?” she asked, furious at how he was treating her like some kind of prisoner, or worse, some kind of moron.

Roman glared at her and said nothing. But now she didn’t want to stay quiet any longer.

“What’s the problem? You said his laptop couldn’t be tracked, so why can’t I do some work while you pace back and forth fuming?”

He put the laptop on the flimsy dresser next to the TV and turned to glare at her again. “That’s to make sure you don’t do something stupid like try to message your friend that way.”

God, he knew how to stay angry at a person, didn’t he?

Looking up at him, she tried to find the kindness in his eyes she’d seen just a short time before. It wasn’t easy since he insisted on pacing back and forth.

“Can you stop moving for a minute and talk to me?”

Her request finally got him to stop moving, at least for a second, but only long enough for him to snap, “No.”

As he turned on his heels and started across the room again, she said, “I’m sorry I screwed up. I should’ve been smarter. I really am sorry.”

But even that didn’t make Roman stop pacing, and he said nothing in response to her apology, even though she meant it sincerely.

Maybe if she tried again. She had to reach him.

“I really am sorry, Roman.”

That finally got him to stop right in front of her, but what she saw on his face didn’t look like understanding or forgiveness. His frown deepened and he stared down at her angrily. “I’m sorry doesn’t help, Kate. I’m trying to keep you safe, but I can’t do that if you keep making mistakes like that.”

His words stung, but the way he said them made it all ten times worse. She didn’t hear a hint of caring in his voice at all. How could he be so cold and unfeeling after what they’d done together?

“So you’re not going to accept my apology?” she asked, staring up into his eyes filled with anger.

He didn’t respond to her question but just stood there glaring down at her.

“What do you want from me, Roman? I’m sorry.”

Shaking his head, he finally answered. “I want you to understand mistakes in my business get people killed. I have this thing with living. I like it.”

“I made one mistake. I get it, but I think I deserve forgiveness.”

He leaned down close to her face. “Which one do you think I should forgive, Kate? The one where I had to run after you before someone saw you and got you punching me for my reward, or the one where you screwed up and forced us out of a comfortable bed in a nice place to come here to Motel Roach and Flea?”

His expression was so angry she had to look away. “I’m sorry for both of those things, Roman. I am. I didn’t mean to mess up. I feel like shit,” Kate said quietly.

“Oh, so you feel like shit. Well, that makes it all better then. We’ll be fine now that you feel bad.”

“You don’t have to be so sarcastic. I just meant that I’m really sorry, Roman. I’m sorry I’ve been such a hassle the whole time. I thought you understood.”

Embarrassment washed over her as she felt him standing there still angrily looking down at her like she was some kind of criminal. She’d thought he liked her inquisitive way. That he’d found her spunkiness charming.

That despite everything that had happened that he had felt for her what she felt for him.

She waited for him to say something, hoping he’d at least give her a reprieve from his anger if he couldn’t forgive her yet, but he said nothing and simply returned to pacing back and forth across the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that miserable scowl remained on his face even now after all she’d said.

It was no use. She’d screwed up so badly he’d never forgive her. Kate knew what she had to do. As soon as he stopped pacing and fell asleep, she’d leave and head out on her own. It’s what she should have done all along. She may not have had a group to help her, but she had things she could use to try to figure out who had killed Jonas and Samuel.

She just wished she didn’t care so much about Roman now that she had to leave him.

Two hours later,he had finally stopped pacing and crawled into bed next to her. She got no sense that any of the feelings he’d shown her in the last bed they shared existed anymore as he silently turned his back to her.

Her heart ached to hear him say anything kind to her again. He lay there so close to her, and yet it felt like a chasm that couldn’t be bridged stood between them. Just like before, he’d pushed her away, but this time, she wouldn’t wait around for him to find his way back to her.

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