He narrows his eyes suspiciously at me, and I pat him on the back before disentangling myself from his grip.
“I need to go grab something. I’ll meet up with you in a few,” I murmur softly while walking toward the front desk.
The full blood woman behind the counter smiles warmly at me, though her rehearsed smile doesn't reach her eyes.
“Can I help you?” she obliges with her fake but beautiful grin.
“I need a room, please.”
“How many guests?”
He would have had to answer this same question. I should have listened in when he did. Then I could have avoided all this awkward melodrama.
“Just one,” I sigh out, my heart sinking in my chest.
My eyes land on the full blood beauty walking beside his blond, giggly sister as he escorts her to the elevators. He hasn’t noticed me here in the lobby, and I pray he doesn’t.
“What happened to your girlfriend?” she muses. “I thought we were eating with her family.”
“She decided she didn’t want me there.”
My heart breaks. That’s not what I said. That’s not even close to being the reason why.
“Her loss, Jason. Just let her go. You’ve got too much going on as it is anyway. I think she’s a little bit too distracting.”
Jason? I suppose Jase is short for Jason, but why wouldn’t he have told me that?
“She shifts gears too damn fast for me to keep up," he grumbles, making me feel a little worse. Then he shakes free from his thoughts. "Let's not discuss it."
"We need to discuss it if it's bothering you. You've got a lot on your plate, and she's the last thing you need to add into the mix."
I guess his dear sister doesn't like me too much.
"I’ll just ride it out. In the meantime, let’s discuss you. I’m tired of talking about me and Aria. It’s giving me a headache.”
Ride it out? I’ll give you a fucking headache.
My eyes tremble as I stare at him. I barely acknowledge the overly perky receptionist handing me a key. I take each step toward the elevator against the will of my feet that feel to be cemented to the floor.
I crack my neck from side to side just in time for him to stop laughing and see my face - my broken, tormented eyes burning against him. He slams his hand between the shutting doors to halt their escape, and he slides out as his sister’s eyes bulge.
“Aria, why are you giving me that look?” he worries.
“You’ve ridden it out,” I snark. “I’m sorry our whatever was such a headache.”
“Don’t say was. Ten minutes ago you said you’d see me tomorrow. I haven’t said anything at all wrong,” he continues, his eyes showing their fear.
“Then you and I have a very different notion of how one should act with someone they supposedly care about. I’ll send my brother by later to collect my things.”
I blur away from him, knowing I’m too fast for him to catch up with, and then I disappear down my hallway. I text Rex and ask him to cover for me. I can’t go sit down and eat with my family in this shape.
I’m so fucking stupid. I knew he was too good to be true, and now I’ve been proven right.
C
hapter 8
Lonely and Tired
