Page 62 of Fighting My Demons

"Then shower. Blaine will get you some clothes, and I don't appreciate being lied to," Latham says.

"And I don't appreciate your mixed signals. Now, move," I snap as I try to step past him, but he steps to the side, blocking me once again.

"What do you mean?" he demands, placing his arm on the other side of him.

I try to duck under his arm when the air is knocked from my lungs; he moves that quickly. My back comes in contact with the soft mattress, and Latham growls, hovering above me.

"What do you mean, Arabella?" he demands while leaning over me, his legs between mine and hands braced on either side of my head.

"Let me up. Please, Latham. You have embarrassed me enough."

Xavier hums, and Latham looks over at him before looking back at me. His eyes roam over the sheet I clutch around me.

"I have done no such thing," he says, meeting my gaze, and I glare at him.

Blaine clears his throat before coughing out the word “rejecting.” He coughs again: “her.”

"Real subtle," Xavier says, and my face heats as Latham stares down at me.

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I would never."

"Well, you did. Twice now," I snap before pushing on his chest, but he doesn't budge.

"You did like two seconds ago," Xavier chuckles.

"I wasn't rejecting her," Latham snaps, turning his face toward him.

"She reached for you, idiot, and you pulled away from her. What else is she supposed to think?" Blaine says before folding his arms across his broad chest.

Latham blinks twice before looking down at me beneath him.

"I wasn't rejecting you. That's not what I was doing. It's not safe. I am not like them."

I scoff, pushing on his chest again. "It's fine, Latham, just move. I will stay and shower here. Just let me up."

"I wasn't rejecting you. I am trying to protect you, Arabella. Why would you think that?"

"Because one minute you say you want to be with me, yet you shy away when I try to touch you."

"No, I don't," he growls, his eyes flickering.

"Yes, you do. Don't deny it. You just did it, and you call me a liar."

"Wanting you is not something I have ever lied about. I am not a liar." His words twist in anger, and his body trembles above me.

"Hey, calm down," Xavier says, gripping his shoulder.

Latham closes his eyes. He appears to be fighting some inner battle I can't see.

"Don't think that. I have my reasons, Arabella. You just don't understand," Latham says before pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a breath. "I have trouble with control. They are young and have issues with control because they become jealous and want your attention; mine stems from a different reason. I don't want to put you at risk. Just trust I have my reasons."

"Then explain them. I can't read your mind, Latham."

"No, but I can read yours, and you lied to me. You were still planning on going to work even after I said you weren't going. I won't lie to you, so don't lie to me."

"Then don't keep things from me, Latham. If you don't want to be with me, don't pretend otherwise."