“You should go back to your hotel,” he repeats. “For a few hours or something…”
“Why the fuck do you care what I do?” I massage my temple that’s started to throb. “You haven’t spoken to me at all, haven’t even glanced in my direction. Now you’re looking out for my best interest?” I furrow my brows at him. “You’re giving me whiplash.”
His eyes narrow behind the mask. “I’m just sticking to my word, sweetheart. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
I glare at him, thoughts from our one-night stand rushing back. Our promise that there would be no consequence, that everything would go back to normal.
“Yes, I agreed, but I thought you’d at least acknowledge my existence,” I spit before shaking my head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s my fault for expecting anything at all, and I realize that.”
He doesn’t say anything for a long second, those golden eyes boring into me and making my skin crawl.After a beat of silence, he shakes his head and sighs. “I just think you need a br?—”
“I do not need a break,” I seethe. My skin flames as anger roils in my chest. Who the fuck does Tobias think he is? “What I need is for my best friend to be alright. What I need is to not spend every waking minute wondering if she’s going to die.”
Tension coils like a snake between us, but he doesn’t back down. He just stares at me, and I think that’s worse. I want him to apologize, to break, to walk away. To do anything other than stare at me and wait for my meltdown to pass, emotionless and unbothered, which only pisses me off more.
I’m too tired for this shit.
I was an idiot for ever thinking he was attractive. For thinking he was anything more than a giant asshole.
“I’m so sick of you pretending to give a single fuck about me in any capacity,” I snap, blinking away the stinging sensation in my eyes.
I just want to go back inside, to go back to sleep. Maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll think this was all a dream in the morning.
Closing my eyes, I rock my head back, my face pointed at the sky. I know I’m seconds away from a breakdown, and I refuse to cry in front of this pinche culero. I’ve been holding it together well, for the most part, but he’s found me in a moment of weakness.
That was probably his plan all along, because if he’d shown up when I was completely awake, he knows I would have chewed his head off.
How dare he.
My chest twists in knots, and I suck in a sharp breath as something wraps around me. It’s a pair of broad, burly arms pulling me close. I take in a deep breath, inhaling Tobias’ warm, musky scent as he drags me into his chest. When my eyes fly open, I’m in his arms, encircled in the most unwanted hug ever.
“Let go,” I demand.
“No.” He doesn’t budge, the glint in his eyes growing more challenging by the second.
“Let. Me. Go.” I glare, the corners of my eyes stinging as I try to push him away. Why the hell does he have to be so stubborn? “Please.”
I don’t expect my bottom lip to wobble on the word, or for a tear to break free and slip down my cheek. I definitely don’t expect for him to shake his head and pull me closer.
“I’m truly sorry about this,” he says, his voice low. “You’ll just have to forgive me.”
I open my mouth to ask him what the fuck he’s talking about, but black shadows whip around us, cutting off my train of thought. Together, we blink out of existence.
When the darkness disappears, and I open my eyes, we’re standing in my hotel room.
No.
My heart pitches toward the floor and panic shoots through my system.
No, no, no.
“Wha— Why?” I gape up at him. “What the hell? Take me back!”
“I will,” he says without letting me go. I’m stillpressed comfortably against his chest, and I can’t find it in me to fight him.
“No, take me back right now,” I demand, stomping my foot like a child. “Niki needs me. I shouldn’t be here, I should be there.”
A sob racks my chest, and I try and fail to push him away as tears roll down my cheeks. He’s such an asshole—even more of one for trying to come between me and my best friend.
