“You’re drunk!” Arko clicked his tongue.
“And who made you the moral police?” Alena put him right in place, and I laughed at how sheepish he looked.
“Oh my god.” I took a bite of the quiche and moaned, closing my eyes. When I opened them, I saw Arko watching my mouth and felt a heat sliver down my spine.
His eyes snapped to mine and away, and I knew he had been thinking of earlier today, like I had been too every time our eyes met since.
“It’s good, right? It’s that new café, Pastiche. Have you been?” Alena asked.
I shook my head and took another mouthful. “I haven’t been out in a while,” I said wistfully. “Not since…” My voice trailed off. “Since your brother kidnapped me,” I managed at last.
“Oh dear, that won’t do,” Anja frowned. “We have to get you out of here! How about we all go shopping this afternoon?”
“Shopping?” I quirked up at the idea. “Oh my god, I’d love that.”
“Let’s do it!” Alena squealed.
But just then—
“No!” Arko’s sharp voice slithered over me, dampening our collective spirits.
Alena and Anja exchanged quick looks while I turned to glare at him.
“What do you mean, no?” I asked, feeling my heart sink.
“We have something later,” he said, and the tone told me enough. We had no plans. He simply didn’t want to let me out of sight. I was furious, blood boiling over, but the last thing I wanted was to cause a scene.
“Oh well.” I turned to his sisters, putting on a nonchalant face. “Another day then.”
“Yes, another day,” Alena sighed, looking as disappointed as I felt.
***
The siblings left an hour or so later, and the minute we said our goodbyes and watched them pile into their cars to drive off, a stifling quiet fell over me. Until they had come and I’d been thrown into their company, I hadn’t realized just how much I had missed having people around.
The disappointment and anger I felt at Arko denying me that shopping trip with his sisters came spilling out as I whirled on him.
“So what plans do we have exactly?” My voice was ice-cold. “Why couldn’t I go shopping with your sisters?”
“There are no plans,” he said simply.
“You…You lied?” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice.
“Yes, I lied.” He turned to walk back indoors, and I followed at his heels, knowing I had had enough.
“How could you?” I slammed the main door shut behind us, and he turned to look at me. “I’m sick of being stuck indoors!”
“It’s not safe out there, and you know that, Beatrice,” Arko almost bellowed. “Look what happened that night we went out for one simple dinner. We could have been hurt or worse.”
“Well, it’s not my fault you planned it so wrong! That dinner was your idea, remember?” I matched his tone and volume, my voice echoing off the walls.
“Are you blaming me for what happened?” he roared back.
“I am! You could have chosen a different restaurant. I doubt anyone’s going to recognize me in a boutique store somewhere! It’s going to be just women at the stores we go to!”
“I’m not risking it,” he hissed. “Your safety is paramount.”
“My safety? Are you delusional? It’s not about my safety. All you want is to keep me in your grasp so your precious plans don’t go to waste,” I screamed.
