The Blossom of Rose

20 • Panic

We snuck out and he dropped me off at the cabin with three parting words. We'll. Talk. Tomorrow.

Technically, it's four if you count the contraction and you're probably going to say I'm overanalysing too much but that's all I've been doing. Because that's all he's left me with.

When I stood, I stumbled and he didn't say anything but supported me as we slipped out the back. It was inevitable that the car ride was going to be awkward so I pretended to be asleep. I snuck glances at him to try and get a piece of his thoughts but all he did was stare straight sternly, two hands gripping the steering wheel as if he was desperate to get rid of me. When he dropped me off, he didn't get out to help me but watched as I walked to the door. Only then when I entered the house and shut the door, he sped out like lightning.

He's confusing me. A lot. He doesn't walk me to the door but he waits until I get in. What's that even supposed to mean? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I cried myself to sleep and had a nightmare where he killed me. Quite gruesome, I know.

But in the millions of scenarios I forged, I came up with one when he found out like this; guessing. Because he's too observant, too perceptive.

I stayed in bed the whole morning until I got a message at exactly 12:54 pm.

Luca: My house.

I knew it was coming but the message still made my heart drop. There was a sense of urgency for me to get this over and done with so I quickly got ready. But then my fear settled in and I took the longest route to his house.

I was greeted by a grinning Viper at the door and hardly had the energy to smile back at him and now I'm seated opposite Luca in his office, admiring the rays of sunshine outside the window. None of us has said anything and it's taking me back to that same silence, last night.

"Are you sure?"

I nod my head, still staring out the window. "You're the only man I've slept with recently. I did a paternity test in case you don't believe me." I place the envelope on the desk in front of me and see his eyes flicker to it but he makes no move to reach for it.

"The napkin. That's how you got my blood," he pieces together and I nod my head again.

"And what did you fucking expect? To hide it forever?" He's annoyed, that much is clear from the way those questions came firing out.

"I only found out a couple of weeks ago," I gather the courage to look at him, his eyes are narrowed in irritation and it fuels my own. "And you can't blame me for not telling you straight away. You're not exactly the most considerate and understanding person."

He trails his eyes to the side, jaw clenched. "I thought you were going to kill me so I had to put my safety first now that I'm not only caring for one person," I justify.

"And whose fault is that?" He snaps and I recoil. He's blaming me for getting pregnant.

"You can't just blame me for getting pregnant," I state, incredulously, "in case you've forgotten, it takes two people to make a baby. So it's your fault as well."

"I'm not the one who threw myself at you that night," he says casually as if his words do not hold weight. I scoff in disbelief at what he just said and find myself springing to my feet in irritation.

"I threw myself at you." I point at myself than him, laughing bitterly. I came in here thinking that I would be scared out of my mind but now he's aggravating me. And I can't hold back.

"What about that day in the club? That day you fucked me in your car. Or the time you snuck into my room to have sex with me. And all the other times you've tried to kiss me but I rejected you. I told you twice that whatever is happening between us needs to stop. You didn't make any effort to stop it."