“I didn’t think so.”
“I wasn’t trying to force you to do anything,” Fang states quietly.
“Sure sounded like you were when you ordered me to stand.”
“Because it’s fucking cold out here,” he explodes, punching his arms across his chest. “It’s fucking winter and, I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have this fucking argument inside.”
“Then why stop me?” I yell, equally as loud. “When I tried to do just that—go inside?”
“Because you weren’t listening!”
“Neither were you!”
“Fuck!” Fang roars, spinning to face away. His shoulders rise with quickened breaths. “Why do you have to be so difficult?” The look in his eye when he turns back toward me is nothing short of livid. “Why can’t you just trust me?”
“Because trusting people got me here,” I tell him. “And because I’m still fucking paranoid that you’ll goddamn shoot me—especially when you look at me like that.”
“Like what?” He seems genuinely taken aback. “Why do you think I’m so hell-bent on putting a bullet in you?”
“Because of the phone. Duh,” I holler, tossing my hands in the air. “Because of who I called. Who I am. The things I’ve done.” My internal monologue screams for me to shut the hell up, but I can’t stop the outpour once it’s started.
This shit has ached to get free for too long. I’m tired of keeping secrets.
I’m tired ofbeinga secret.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fang says carefully. “I don’t know about anything other than you had the phone.”
“Are you sure?” I’m full-out sobbing at the man.Such a wreck, Jenna.
“I’m sure.” He stares down at me, and I don’t have any urge to look away. His eyes are dark. Maybe green. Maybe more of a gray. It’s impossible to tell in this half-light. I just know the way he’s looking at me right now makes my chest full in ways I haven’t felt in years. It’s as though he genuinely wants to figure me out. Wants to know more.
It’s almost like I matter.
It’s dangerous.
“I’ll make you a new coffee,” I murmur, desperate to break the rising tension.
“I don’t need one anymore.” He hasn’t moved.
“Why?” My word is but a whisper in the night.
“Because you make me feel more awake than I have in a long time.”
TWENTY
FANG
She flinches.Not as though my words confuse or insult her. But as though she can’t understand why I’d say them.
I only speak the truth.
She drives me fucking mad, but the energy sparring with her gives off is fast becoming addictive. Jenna gives as good as she gets, and I can’t help but admire that after everything she has enough spark left in her to fight for what she feels is fair.
Right.
But I also can’t ignore the heart of the matter: she asked for a phone, kept it hidden, and hasn’t told anyone her backstory yet. Nobody knows a fucking thing about this woman, and after everything that’s gone down in the past few months, we can’t trust anyone.
As thrilling as fighting with her is, it won’t get me what I need to know.
