Chapter 48
“Absolutely not,” Christian snaps, glaring at me like I already agreed to it.
My mouth drops open as I stare back at him, and I surprise myself when I discover that I’m…I’m pissed.
The rational part of me knows very well that he’s doing this to protect me. But still – my hackles raise when I see him again controlling me, again willingly locking me away in this box, when he’s gone out and got himself a girlfriend –
God, if he didn’t already prove enough to me that I don’t matter him by not talking to me for three days, and then showing up with a girlfriend after we spent the night together, but now?? Now I’m being offered a chance to get out of the house – which is what I want – and he’s mad at me for even considering it!?
God, what a fucking dick.
I snap my mouth shut and glare at Christian, just as livid as he is now.
Spontaneously, I turn to Romano and look up into his face. His eyes are already on me, a slow smile on his mouth as he realizes precisely what is happening.
“Will I be safe?” I ask, raising an eyebrow his way.
Christian sputters, shocked that I’d even ask – that I’d even consider it – but we both ignore him.
“Safer than you were at that strip club,” Romano says, serious. “I’ll even let you take Frankie – he can be your bodyguard whenever you work.”
“Frank is not yours to redistribute –“ Christian begins, taking a menacing step towards his father.
But I’m faster than him. “I’ll take it,” I say, lifting my chin, my voice easy.
“IRIS!” Christian shouts, turning and moving towards me instead. I hear Nico’s little shout of protest, Frankie’s mouth click in surprise as his jaw drops next to me, as he takes a step away. But there’s no time to look at him as Christian grabs my arm, glaring down into my face. “You’re not going anywhere –“
“He said it was safe!” I shout back, glaring up into my would-be friend’s face. “He said I’d take Frankie and it would be fine –“
“Frankie is mine to deploy –“
“They’re all mine to deploy,” Romano says, his voice booming out over all of us, making us all turn towards him. “I’m grateful, Cristian,” Romano continues, his voice lower now that we’re all in silence, “for your help with the family while I’ve been sick. But now that I’m better,” he gives a soft shrug and looks each of us in the eye.
“You’re not taking Iris out of this house,” Christian growls, his voice dangerous. “It’s not safe for her out there and I forbid it.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Iris,” Romano says, completely ignoring his son and giving me a nod before shifting his eyes to Frankie, letting him know that he’s also on the hook. “Around noon, for your training. If you don’t show up, I’ll be displeased.”
And without another word to Christian, to any of us, he turns and strides for the door, leaving.
As soon as the door closes behind him, Nico groans again, his hands over his face as he tilts his head back and shakes it at the ceiling.
“What the fuck do you think you’re playing at?” Christian snarls at me, but I just glare at him and tug my arm from his hand.
“Like you’d fucking know, Christian,” I snap, glaring at him. “Maybe you’d have some idea if you’d bothered to talk to me for the past three days. You lock me up here like I’m some piece of furniture you can leave alone, and then you’re pissed when I take the opportunity to bail?”
He opens his mouth to retort but I just turn and walk away, angry and sad and frustrated all in one. “Whatever, Christian,” I sigh, waving a hand over my shoulder and refusing to look at him as I head towards my room. “If you’re mad about it talk to your girlfriend about your feelings – you’ve made it clear that we’re not each other’s problem anymore.”
More hurt than I want to admit by the events of the evening, I move into the hall. Behind me, I hear Violetta speak, even though I didn’t even realize she’d come back from Christian’s bedroom.
“What’s…what’s the deal with you and her?” I hear Violetta ask Christian, suspicious and hesitant. “You said she was just…some girl you were helping. Staying here for a few days.”
I don’t pause to hear Christian’s answer, though my heart sinks at the reality of what she’s said. Because all of Christian’s actions in the past three days have proven that that’s precisely how he understands me and my role in his life. Even if there was something between us – he’s made it very clear now exactly what he wants me to be.
I sigh as I turn the knob and push into my room, realizing that I really am just some girl that he’s helping. That I’m just staying here for a few days. That he wants me safe, yes, because of something we shared in the past – but the future?
I push the door shut behind me and flop onto my bed.
Christian and me – there is no future.
I press my eyes shut against the tears that form at that thought. And then I lay still in my bed as the room grows dark.
About an hour later a knock comes at the door. I don’t say anything or move at all. The door’s not locked. If someone wants to come in, they can. If they want to go away, they can. I don’t care either way.
The knock comes again and then the handle turns. I turn my head to see a tall silhouette standing in the doorway, holding a plate of food.
But it’s not who I want it to be.
“I’m not hungry, Frankie,” I say, my voice small.
“Yes, you are,” he murmurs, shutting the door behind him and quietly walking over to my bed. “Don’t forget, Bambs, we’ve been together for three days now. I know all your patterns. I know the last time you ate. I know way too much, things I never wanted to know.”
I sigh, and look up at him, knowing that he’s trying to make me laugh but…not in the mood.
“Come on, baby,” he sighs, sitting down on the bed next to me and putting the plate on the table. I glance over at it, smelling Thai takeout, which he knows is my favorite. But I wasn’t lying – I’m really not hungry. “You’ll break my heart if you just lay in here all night, all sad.”
“I’m not going out there,” I say, pointing at the door with a frown. “Not with…her.”
Frankie grins. “Yeah, that was a dick move on his part,” Frankie says with a sigh. “But can’t you take it as a compliment?”
I sit up straight, appalled. “A compliment?”
“He was so into you,” Frankie says with a laugh, smiling at me in the dark, “that he had to go get a girlfriend to cock block himself.”
I stare at Frankie, my mouth open, appalled, which just makes him burst into laughter.
I scowl, reaching for the plate of food and hauling it into my lap. I don’t eat yet but…well. The thought makes it a little better. Not that the idea is new – Nico sort of said the same thing. But Frankie – he put it in much more complimentary terms, didn’t he?
“Do you really think he likes me?” I ask quietly.
“Oh, Bambs,” Frankie sighs, reaching an arm across my legs to prop himself up as he considers me in the dark. “Don’t go asking troublesome questions, okay? I think…I think we all have Christian’s answer, don’t we?”
And I sigh, and lift a bite of chicken to my mouth, even though I barely taste it as I begin to eat.
