“I was admiring the beauty of your home, asshole. Not looking for an escape.”
He chuckles. “Sure. I know a runner when I see one. You’re not about to fuck this up for me. I’ll show you to the guest room. If you’re hungry, the kitchen is through there.” He gestures behind him before turning to go up the stairs.
Of course the guest room is on the second floor.
I follow him, keeping up my charade of giving up. It’s the only chance I’ve got.
Finley leads us down the hall to the last room on the left.
“This will be your room. There’s a bathroom across the hall. The remote for the TV is in the nightstand. If you need anything, just ask. I’ll be downstairs.”
“Sure. Thanks.”
Finley leaves the room, leaving me with Nate and Hailee.
“I’m going to go talk with Finley. Don’t do anything stupid.” He gives me a pointed look before turning to Hailee. “I’ll bring you some pain relievers in a little bit.”
She nods, not meeting his eyes.
Then they are both gone. I walk over and shut the door behind him.
“I hate the Rockfords,” I mutter.
“I don’t understand why you’re so upset,” Hailee says.
“Seriously? Did you not see the way he manhandled me back there?”
She continues as if I haven’t said anything. “It’s all romantic if you ask me. He is protecting you.”
“You really are delusional. You need to get your head out of your books and live in the real world. A man grabbing you by the neck and forcing you into a trunk is not romantic.”
She smirks. “So your heart didn’t race? You didn’t feel all hot and bothered by his dominance?”
This bitch,I think to myself.
“Absolutely not,” I lie through my teeth.
“Whatever you say, Will. He is doing what he is doing because he cares. Why else would he ship you off to some random person to be looked after?”
“Maybe because he doesn’t want me ruining his plans.”
“Sure, and that’s also why you shared a bed last night.” She smirks, raising her eyebrows.
“That’s not what you think. It’s fucking. Not every relationship is a romantic one.”
“So you’re saying you don’t care about him? That sleeping with him means nothing? As if you didn’t lose your virginity to him?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Who says I lost my virginity to him?”
She shrugs. “No reason to get all upset about it. It makes sense. Your mother sells her body for the highest dollar. You obviously despise what she does. The virginity thing is an educated guess.”
Shaking my head, I turn away from her. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. He doesn’t care about me as much as you think.”
“If you say so. I think you’re wrong though.”
“Whatever. I know one thing is for sure. He doesn’t care about my mother. If Tim was telling the truth, they are going to hurt her.”
“I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do,” she says as she crosses her arms.
