I pouted playfully. “Aww. Let me give you a hug, big boy.”
Before I could finish my sentence, Vin pulled me into a tight embrace, squeezing the air right out of my lungs. I let out a small laugh and patted his back.
As I locked my hands behind him, my gaze drifted to the side. My stomach plummeted, and my smile dropped.
Theon stood across the road, leaning against a block, his left hand pressed hard into the surface as if it was the only thing keeping him from crossing the street. His cold eyes bore into us, his posture rigid, and his fist clenched. A chill crept down my spine, and my heart raced. For another reason.
Anger quickly replaced my shock. How dare he? My blood boiled, memories of last week flooding my mind—when he’d broken into my house like it was his right, like he could do whatever he wanted. I bet he was the one behind the water and electricity shit.
“Wait for me inside, yeah?” I told Vin.
Vin stared at me, confused but didn’t ask questions. I didn’t give him time anyway.
Not caring that I was only wearing a nightshirt with shorts that were barely visible underneath, I began to walk to the road with quick, angry strides, my eyes locked on Theon.
He seemed to relax as he saw me coming—fist unclenched and jaw loosened. His gaze dropped to my bare thighs, and his eyes narrowed as they trailed back up to meet my eyes, displease evident in his stare.
The hell?
As I crossed the road, a blur of movement caught my eye. A schoolboy on a bicycle was racing towards me at full speed, his schoolbag bouncing wildly on his back. His uniform shirtflapped in the breeze, and his face was twisted in frustration, clearly late for school.
“Out of my way!” he shouted, swerving dangerously close.
I barely had time to react, the early morning streets alive with people, all lost in their routines. The day was in full swing—shops were opening, commuters hurried by. I remained frozen in place for a second as the boy sped past, narrowly missing me.
“Sorry!” he apologised.
I shook my head and resumed my walking, maintaining that anger until I was before him. “You jerk, how dare you break into my house. Twice.”
His eyes remained unchanged, unaffected by what I said. He wasn’t remorseful. What did I expect? Drop to his knees and apologise?
“You have nothing to say? I could sue you for—”
“Go back to your place.”
I was dumbstruck for a second. “You assume you have the right to tell me what to do.”
“It’s your choice. Do it while I tell you, or you’ll regret it when I force you.”
“Are you threatening me right now?”
“Warning.”
I scoffed unbelievably, completely speechless. He had a way of surprising me with his thinking. I was certain he was incapable of thinking the way normal humans did.
“I am staying at my friend’s place. I don’t get what problem you have with that. You want to sneak into my house? Well, lucky you, because you can now. I don’t care.” I turned to walk away. His hand clamped down on my shoulder, and before I knew, I was hauled back and pushed against the wall.
Theon’s body caged mine, tall and broad to the point of intimidation, his eyes a subtle shade of hazel that flared hotterwith each blink. He leaned in, and I looked up, hardening my gaze.
This was the closest we’d ever been, there’d always been at least a foot distance between us. But he was so goddamn close to my face now, my mind was beginning to black out. The longer I stared at his face—nose, eyes...lips—the faster my anger melted.
He was angry, I could see it in his eyes. Rage, an emotion that was born years ago, shone in his eyes. Everytime, my thoughts were plagued with questions of how he survived, how everything happened that night, why he suddenly hated me so much. I had a lot of questions for him. No one should be able to survive that fall.
He lifted his hand to my face, slid two fingers down my temple to tuck my hair behind. I suppressed the shiver that racked my body. “Go back to your house while I’m asking nicely.” His tone was ice-cold, a scary contrast to his gentle gesture with my hair.
“Or what?”
“Or your friend is going to pay for your disobedience.”
