He might think he can bully himself back into my life like he hasn’t just been gone for the last twelve years, but he has another thing coming if he thinks I am just going to roll over and play dead. My fight might be gone, but I am far from out.
We start walking down the sidewalk. He’s leading and I’m following silently behind him. When we reach his mammoth truck, I stop and look at it. How the hell am I supposed to get in that thing. I am eye level with the footboard thing. Isn’t the purpose of that thing to help people get into vehicles? Typical man, making these damn things impossible. Axel is standing next to me holding the door, waiting for me to climb in. I look from him to the truck a few times. He can’t be for real right now.
“Get in now. I don’t have the patience for your shit.” His voice still sounds lethal. I have no idea what would had made him so mad. He has me and it technically is still Saturday . . . even if there are only a few hours left. So I didn’t exactly do anything wrong. The deadline is up and I’m here, right?
“Hate to point out the obvious, Holt”—I can’t seem to help myself from sneering his name, his new name—“but how exactly do you expect me to get in now, as you have so kindly demanded?”
His eyes flash and fill even more with blinding rage. His face takes on an even harsher hard . . . stone-cold look. “What. The fuck. Did I tell you about calling me Holt?” he throws at me.
His face is almost nose to nose with mine. His rapid breaths are hitting my own mouth in warm bursts. I can taste him on my tongue, and I gasp in shock. My eyes go wide at his close proximity. Even in my current mood, I can’t help but remember all the times I looked into these eyes before. All the times they didn’t hold anger, but untainted love.
“One more time, and I swear to God. Get in the fucking truck,” he bites out, pushing each word towards me with great force.
“You idiot, what do you think I am doing? Standing here for shits and fucking giggles? No, definitely not. I can’t get into your stupid truck. If you would take a second to actually look, you would see this. Your little Napoleon complex is cute. Really, it is. But it is also keeping me from getting in the fucking truck!” I scream the last part in his face so loud that even my ears are ringing. I instantly slam my hand over my mouth, regretting my outburst and fearing his reaction.
He shocks me when, instead of lashing out, he starts to shake with silent laughter “Napoleon complex, hmm? Do I really need to remind you just how untrue that statement is, Izzy? Take a look at me. My height isn’t the only thing that fucking grew since you ran off.” After he throws that unexpected remark out, I am once again stunned.
Ran off? I would have thought he was talking about this past week if it hadn’t been for the offhand comment about him changing. What is he talking about? I didn’t run off. He did. As my confusion grows, I am even more convinced that I do not want to have this conversation with him.
Finally, having lost his last thread of control, he grabs my hips and lifts, unceremoniously dumping me into the seat. He harshly mutters for me to buckle my ‘fucking belt,’ before he slams the door and disappears around the hood. My jaw is still hanging when he opens his door and slings his giant frame into the seat, turning the key and bringing this beast to a roaring start. He slams it into gear and shoots away from his spot.
Coming out of my stunned silence, I look over at his harsh face. “Where are you taking me? My house is the other way,” I meekly ask.
“I know where your house is. I also know that you have been there all week, even while ignoring me. I’m not taking you there, where you can have the protection of your little pit bull roommate. We’re talking and we will be doing it with no fucking interruptions and no one to help you cower behind a locked door. Hear me that, right fucking now.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe we can just go to the Starbucks around the corner?” Maybe if I had little more conviction, he would have taken me seriously. The last place I want to be is in his space, alone with him.
“Forget that right now. What I have to say to you will not be said around others. Get ready, Princess, because I am done playing games. I don’t care if it takes an eternity. You will fucking talk.”
I snap my mouth shut and turn to watch the city fly past him, trying frantically to think of a way out of this, a way to escape. I’m not ready, and I am even more convinced that I might not ever be.
Axel