Breaking Jacob (2nd in Breaking Series)

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Ellie had Otis's letter burning a hole in her pocket. He had sent it in the post instead of by wire and she dreaded finding out what he had said. She hadn't read it in town, wanting to wait until she was locked in her room, instead of reading it under Brody's watchful eyes.

"You get in there and talk to my brother. I'll see to the horses," Brody ordered as she climbed down off the buckboard.

Ellie nodded, took a deep breath and walked inside. Susie and Sally were both sitting on the couch sewing and Ellie gave them a small wave, "Hi girls."

Susie didn't look up from her sewing but Sally looked up and threw her a dirty look, "Goodbye Alice," she snapped.

Ellie sighed and blamed the girl's mood on the bitterness and anger she seemed to hold onto. Ellie walked back toward her room, deciding that she would read Otis's letter before she talked to Jacob. She was willing to do just about anything to put off talking to Jacob. She didn't want to see his anger or the hate she feared he would feel for her.

Brody seemed to have already accepted her story. She had opened up to him on the way back from town and surprisingly enough she had found that he was an understanding man. Quite different from the cold, mean, unfeeling man she had thought him to be. But he had warned her that while Jacob might be the gentler of the two brothers, he was also the most stubborn. He was the type of man that got an idea into his head about what was right and what was wrong and refused to bend on those beliefs.

Ellie was lost in her thoughts and her fear, with her hand on the knob of her door when Jacob's voice came from behind her, sounding cold and angry, "Ellie, I think we need to talk."

Ellie's eyes widened and her heart fell to her feet. He knew? How did he know. She had been imagining for over a week, what her name would sound like on his lips. The coldness in his voice as he said it wasn't quite what she'd been thinking of.

She turned and forced herself to look up at him. She was shocked by the icy look in his green eyes. The look currently on his sharp featured face was one that made the angry Brody from this morning look like an innocent little puppy.

"Jacob, I can explain..." she started.

He shook his head, "We'll talk in there." he said pointing to her door. Ellie nodded and opened the door. She stepped in and he stepped in behind her, slamming the door so hard that it shook the walls and made Ellie wince, "Jacob please..."

"I don't want to hear a word you have to say, Ellie Thompson," he gave a harsh laugh. "I thought I'd finally found her. The one woman made just for me. The one woman who would accept me and all the baggage that came with me and love me anyway. I guess I was just as foolish as all the men that came before me and offered you forever."

He held up her diary and then threw it down on the floral bedspread. Ellie stared at it, cursing its existence and then looked back at Jacob. Seeing him closer like this, she could tell he'd been crying and she felt her heart break. Tears sprang to her eyes and for the first time in ten years, she didn't bother with trying to hold them back, "I don't know what you doing reading my diary but I can explain if you'll let me...."

Jacob held up his hand, "I don't want any explanations. I loved you. I really loved you. I would have done anything for you. Anything. But now....." he shook his head and ran his hand over his face.

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest, in an attempt to shield herself from the pain, "Are you saying you don't really love me now?" she asked brokenly.