Silent Sins ✓ ( book 1) Editing in Progress

Chapter 34

Defiance wins cover is above x Sequel to the Silent Sins 🖤
********************

I face the dark ceiling and my eyes fall shut the longer I attempt to keep them open. What time is it? Stifling a yawn, I shift to face the door and freeze. 

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" The warm light from the hallway spills into the room and a silhouette appears at the door. I blink rapidly, gripping the sheets beneath me with panic.

"Amara?" He asks again.

Romero.  

I rest my head back against the pillow, calming down my erratic heart.

From where he stands, the darkness seems to suffocate him. He looks inhumane. He looks like the man from my dreams. I shake the thought away immediately.

"I'm sorry." He says again, this time with a completely different meaning. He stuffs his hands into his pockets, as if he feels like an intruder in his own home. "I shouldn't have said those things." He continues.

Did he come upstairs thinking that those words would be enough?

I run my hand along my arm in a comforting gesture. Without having to look at him, I know he is being genuine, which is odd for the man who I once believed to have no regrets.

"I'm not good with these things."

"And that's an excuse?" My voice is hoarse with sleep.

"No." He sighs, letting his hand slip from the door handle "It's not."

I shift ever so slightly, and the stiff muscles around my ribs ache from the movement. "I'm going home in the morning."

His posture grows stiff. "I can't let you do that."

I narrow my eyes, fully aware that he can't see them. "Sure I can." I sit up, giving myself height in what looks like the start of an argument. "See, it would be wildly inappropriate if your student was found in your home."

Threatening him is a low blow, but I could not care less right now. 

"And what exactly would that kind of accusation do to your career?" He's trying to rationalise with me rather than challenge my proposition.

"Surly nothing, you're the predator remember?" If it wasn't so dark, I would have batted my lashes to make a statement.

"Cut the crap, Amara" He snaps.

I shrug. "Say what you want, I'm going home."

"Not happening." He replies flatly.

"What are you going to do, tie me to the bed."

"You're crippled, I don't need to."

Fucking bitch. "I can still move."

He's utterly still and silent for a deadly moment. I'm convinced he has nothing left to say, but then he's striding across the room. I follow him with my eyes, realising all too late that he's grabbing my crutches. "Unless you're crawling home dear, I wish you the best of luck."

"What the fuck." I exclaim. "You toxic son of a bitch."

"Mara." He snaps, silencing me. "Wake up, because this is your reality. If you haven't realised, your life is in danger. Someone tried to kill you. Okay?" His words allow no room for argument. "You can hate me all you want but I'm not having you risk your life over petty arguments."

"Petty!" I say. "Petty." I exclaim. "I'm twenty. You don't get to control my life, and my arguments aren't petty." I want to throw something at him. "This is my life. Not yours."