Page 139 of Straight to Me

When he doesn’t move or say anything more, I slowly look to him. His voice may be softer, but his eyes are dark, his temples twitching as he tightens his jaw.

“What else should I have said to that kind of sass?”

“So, you didn’t mean it?” He moves closer so I can hear him.

“That we’re not together?” I question. “We’re not.”

Give me strength. This morning he was crying, asking me not to leave. Now we’re bickering because I didn’t go to him, because I didn’t do as he wanted.

His lips pinch together tightly, his jaw clenching again. “That wasyourchoice. I’ve simply tried to get on with things whilst you do… whatever it is that you need to do,” I remind him.

“What Ineedis for you to not argue with me.”

“What?” I can’t hear him properly over the hard rock and loud voices. He grabs my elbow, dragging me off my stool. I struggle to keep up with his agitated pace as he pulls me into the room we shared what feels like months ago.

“Why’ve you brought me in here?” In my mind’s eye I can see us having sex on the bed. The first time I’d been to the clubhouse, then the night of his birthday. Looking away, not needing to be reminded of the good times we’d shared, I stay close to the door.

He walks past me, stopping by the bed. Exhausted, he rubs his face taking a seat facing me.

“I just needed to talk to you without having to shout over the noise. Why didn’t you answer your phone when I called?”

“I was working. I couldn’t drop everything to answer the phone.”

“You scared me.”

“I scared you? You’re the one who sent Travis to fetch me, like some sort of pet.”

“I needed to know you were safe. I was going out of my mind not knowing where you were!”

“Howdidyou know to look at the school?”

His lip twitches. “I, uh, rode to your sister’s. She gave me the school’s name you worked at.”I’ll kill her. “I knew by that point you wouldn’t come with me, so I sent Travis.”

He was right. I fold my arms across my middle. “So whyamI here?” Scratching his head, he runs his hands through his hair.

“The club retaliated for Jack.”

“For Jack?” I ask confused. “Are they retaliating in Australia too?” He looks down at the floor, considering whether he should tell me what’s really going on.

“You just need to know that it isn’t safe.” After everything, he doesn’t even have the decency to tell me the truth. I'm leaving.

“Well thanks for the heads up, next time a text will suffice.” I smile sarcastically before turning to the door, my hand reaching for the handle.

“Wait!” He stops directly behind me having darted across the room to catch up. We’re stood so close I can feel the heat from his body radiating towards me. I turn to him slowly, my eyes staring at his chest, refusing to lift my head any higher to look at him.

It takes every morsel of my energy to keep my breathing steady. “Where do you think you're going?” he asks, clearly stressed.

“Home.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” I look up to him then.

Pissed off, I turn the handle behind me, but he slams the door shut with his palm. I try again to get it open, but he grabs my shoulders, pushing me back against the wood. “Stop trying to leave!” He’s raging, his eyes sharp, piercing mine.

“Get off me!” I bite through gritted teeth.

“Not until you promise you won’t leave!”

“Why the fuck not? Tell me what’s going on!” His grip softens and in a flash his hands cup my face, instantly making me weak.

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