Hidebound

Chapter SeventyFour

My shoes tap the ground as I walk and I'm overwhelmingly aware of every sense going on in my body, especially the feel of Hex's eyes firmly set on me.

My bag sits high on my shoulder and the strap digs into my skin. Its still raining and I feel every drop land on my skin.

Hex doesn't move out of the way and I have to go around his form to enter the apartment, he turns with me and closes the door behind us.

"Who was that?" His voice is calm but I know its just a façade. He knows exactly who dropped me off, given he has only ever seen West once when he stormed the prison, kissed me in front of Hex and then dragged me out but I know he hasn't forgotten his face.

I sigh and drop my bag on the couch as I turn to face him. He stands at the door, his arms crossed and his legs spread. He's angry, the fire in his eyes igniting brighter the longer he waits for an explanation.

"Why are you home?" I ask with my own arms crossed so that he takes me seriously.

The question further pisses him off.

"Who is he, Poppy?" He raises his voice at me and I feel like nothing more than a little girl.

"Don't ask questions you know the answer to Hex!" I raise my voice louder than his. He turns his back to me and tugs at his hair. "Why are you home?" I talk lowly but firmly.

He spins to face me again. "I came home because I felt bad about last night but fuck that!" He hisses and passes by me, walking into the kitchen.

I look at the ceiling and drag my hands down my face as I take a deep breath. He had come home because he felt bad but it had all been converted into anger the moment he saw West's car pull up with me in the passenger seat.

The moment of peace gives me an opportunity to gather my thoughts and calm down before I follow him into the kitchen.

"Hex" I sigh as I round the corner.

"I don't want to hear it, Poppy" he turns his back on me and grabs himself a glass of water.

"He's just moved back, he wanted to catch up" I try and get him to understand but all he can see is the Platonic that I used to sleep with.

He throws the glass into the sink but I don't hear it smash, thankfully.

"Poppy!" He fumes, his rise in tone making me jump. "I don't give a fuck!"

"Don't talk to me like that, Hex!" I raise my voice higher than his. "I'm your wife!"

Hex leans back against the counter and runs his hand down his face. He looks up at the ceiling and I can feel the regret seeping through our bond at the way he had spoken to me.

"Baby, I didn't mean to speak to you like that" his voice lowers and he finds my eyes. His new tone instantly calms me, although it doesn't last long. "But I would have appreciated if you had of told me where and who you were with." I see the realization of hypocrisy shine in his eyes as soon as he finishes the sentence.

My anger bubbles up again. So its okay for him to not tell me where he was last night but I'm not allowed to do the same?

"Where were you last night?" I cross my arms and pull my eyebrows together. I have no doubt he can feel my irritation rising and he scratches his head as he pushes off the counter.

He picks up the glass from the sink and places it on the counter silently.

He walks towards me, his face void of emotion.

"I'm going back to work" he places a kiss on the top of my head and walks past me, leaving a puff of air to hit me along with his scent.

I hear the rustle of him picking up his bag, putting on his shoes and then the front door opens.

"Hex" I call but remain in my spot in the kitchen, all movement stops in the next room. "I'm going to stay at mums tonight." I feel my heart crack and I ignore the way it breaks completely when Hex hears my words.

I hope it gives him the final push to finally give me an answer as to his whereabouts but it doesn't as he steps outside and closes the front door behind him. My head drops and tears well.

*

I held back the tears in my eyes the entire time I packed. I didn't allude to Hex how long I'm staying at mums but I know I won't be able to last any longer than twenty-four hours. Besides, I would miss Teddy too much.

Mum was at work when I arrived at her house and I had to sit in my car for an hour before she got home. I hated that it gave me time to think about Hex and the trajectory our relationship has been heading but when mum finally showed up and I climbed out of my car, I felt lighter then I had when I had entered.

"Honey! What are you doing here?" She asks with a wide smile on her face as she embraces me. I give her my best smile but it wobbles at the corners and I know she saw it.

"Hi mum" I kiss her cheek "I thought I'd sleep over tonight?" It comes out in a question and I hope I hadn't ruined any plans for her. I also hope that she doesn't plan on having company over because I'd rather not sit in the awkwardness of strangers.

"Oh?" Surprise is on her face but its fake, she knows something is wrong. I pretend its not and plaster a smile on my face. "Okay! Lets go inside" she grabs the arm that isn't holding my bag and loops her hand through it.

She unlocks her front door and ushers me in. I hear a meow and I ignore it, until I remember that Teddy isn't here.

"What was that?" I look around but I don't see anything "did you get a cat?" I ask in disbelief, she hadn't told me she was even thinking about getting a cat.

She turns to me with a smile big enough to stretch from ear to ear. Movement out the corner of my eye catches my attention. A cat that looks older than me strolls around the corner and into the entryway.

"This is Eddie" mum drops her bag and picks Eddie up. The cat nestles against her face and meows again. He's tabby in colour but his face is aged and grey, he has that old, skinny cat look to him and he walks like he has arthritis in his legs.

"He's old?" I question but already know the answer as I place my bag down and lift a hand towards his head.

I gasp when he hisses and swipes at me. I retreat my hand, holding it to my chest, slightly offended.

"Eddie, no" mum condemns him but at the same time she kisses his head. "You must smell like Teddy." Mum murmurs as she places him down and he walks into the next room.

"When did you get a cat?" I ask. I was here just last week and there was no cat then, not even a sign that she was planning on getting a cat.

"Over the weekend" the smile hadn't left her face "I saw her on Facebook, they were going to put her down because of her age; she was the oldest cat there." Its only now that I see the numerous cat toys scattered along the floor and the scratching post in the lounge room.

"How old is he?" I ask as we step into the kitchen.

"She."

"What?" My eyebrows pull together as mum passes me a glass of water.

"Eddie's a girl" the old cat joins us in the kitchen and I watch as she starts eating out of her food bowl. "The shelter named her Edwina but I changed it to Eddie." She looks lovingly at Eddie, the same way she looks at me and I don't know if I should be offended or not.

"Okay... right" I nod my head and skull the glass of water.