“What do you want me to say, Aoi?”
“I don’t know. The truth?”
“The truth is that I’m furious at your selfishness and stupidity but I’m trying to hold back because you’re not in your right mind and I can’t blame you for that.”
I scoff and run my hand through my hair. “Why not? I fucked up. There’s no one else to blame, is there?”
“There is.”
“Who?” I ask, confused. “Do you maybe blame yourself? Impossible. The almighty Jason Holden would never blame himself for someone else’s actions.”
“I don’t blame myself,” he utters, eyes glazing excruciatingly slowly over my features. “You made a mistake. That is all.”
“You’re acting weird.”
“How so?”
Swatting his hands off my face, I step away and exhale loudly. “You’re being so…agreeable. That’s not you. You’re usually so difficult to reason with. I mean after what I did, I’m surprised you’re not yelling at me.”
“Is that what you want me to do?” he asks, closing the gap between us and wrapping his arms around my waist. “Yell at you? Tell you how stupid and reckless you are? That I want to tie you up, so you’ll finally stop putting yourself in harm’s way?”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “No. That’s not what I want. Just answer my questions and stop being weird.”
“What do you want to know?” he asks, pressing a tender kiss against my nape.
“Where are we?”
He stops his kisses and squeezes me tighter until I gasp out loud. “Why are you making this so difficult?”
“How amImaking anything difficult? I’m asking you where the hell we are, and you refuse to answer me.You’rethe one who’s difficult. Seriously, what’s wrong with you?”
“This is a property I own. I brought you here after I dragged you out of the lake.”
Silence settles as we both take in that shit answer. He could’ve said that from the beginning. Didn’t need to make a fuss.
“So, you changed my clothes?” I ask, peeking down at the dry and clean garments.
He nods and resumes kissing my nape, tracing patterns over my shoulder and inhaling my scent. I grab his hands and detach him from me, putting space between my itchy skin and the intense discomfort his touch brings me.
“What’s the matter? Not in the mood?” he questions, an edge to his voice that I don’t fail to notice.
I look down at my arm and feel nausea swarm over me. Three cuts now. “I have to go back. I need to tell the girls that I’m fine. I need to apologize. They must be worried sick by now.”
“I already called them.”
I spin around and stare at him, distraught and not believing a word coming out of his mouth. For years I didn’t bother caring about his lies, but now I can’t stand them anymore.
“You called them?” I scoff. “You?”
“What’s the matter now?” he asks, annoyed, and crosses his arms over his chest. “Nothing ever seems to satisfy you.”
“You’re lying to me. You have been since the second I woke up. Now stop the bullshit and tell me exactly where we are and why the hell you refuse to tell me anything.”
We remain silent for a heartbeat, entranced in a staring contest that will either end up in me losing my temper or him nagging me.
I groan in utter exasperation and shove him. “Why do you have to be like this? Why can’t you ever do things my way? Just tell me what I want to know for fuck’s sake, you jerk!”
He rolls his eyes and raises his voice. “Did it not occur to you that I’m doing this for your sake? Only a fool would tell you anything that would lead to you endangering yourself. Now be quiet and stay put while I take care of your mess.”
