Sounds easy enough.
“First things first, we have to invite her to Glow Down Under.” Drake smiles.
“As soon as they get home. We claim her as ours,” Santi adds.
I smile. “Game on.”
Fifteen
Ishould feel vindicated. Aurora gave in so easily. Normally, that would fill me with joy. Adrenaline.
Instead, all I can see are the unshed tears she had in her eyes. For some reason, that doesn’t sit right with me.
Sure, I never want to see any woman cry, but it doesn’t make me feel this way. With her, it’s different.
Maybe because I’m the one that caused it. Or maybe it’s because when I looked into the depths of her eyes, I saw the truth. I meant every word I said, but they are starting to feel hollow.
The thought of her leaving us tomorrow is like a punch to my gut.
The siren has worked her spell once again. Only this time, it’s affecting me.
I’m waiting outside the women’s locker rooms for her, ready to feed her then get back to the house. I need to get away from her while I can.
When she finally steps out, I know I’ve fucked up.
Her eyes are red and puffy. It’s obvious that she’s been crying. That’s probably what took her so long.
Fuck.
“Let’s get some dinner, then go home.”
She shrugs. “What’s the point? I’m not even hungry anymore.”
She moves past me toward the front lobby.
“Princess,” I whisper, this time the term more of an endearment than the insult it’s been in the past.
She stops, keeping her back to me, voice shaking. “Please, just don’t. Let’s just end this now while we still have some sort of respect for one another.”
I never thought I could feel so low. I feel like the scum of the earth.
I’m only trying to protect my family, but in the process, I’ve hurt this girl. I didn’t realize she actually had feelings for any of the guys. I thought it was all a game, but if she’s acting, then give her an award. She has me fooled.
Moving forward, I grab her elbow, leading her to the front desk. She’s quiet the entire time I talk to the receptionist. After I’ve paid, I lead her back to the car, helping her into her side. When she doesn’t move to buckle her belt, I lean in, doing it for her.
She doesn’t even react.
When I climb into the driver’s seat, I look over at her. She’s staring out the window. I can hear little sniffles.
Running my hand through my hair, I sigh.
“I’m not taking you back until we eat. I can see you probably don’t want the sit-down dinner I had planned. Against my better judgment, how about we run through a drive-through and get something quick and eat in the car?”
I cringe at my own offer. I hate fast food almost as much as I hate eating in the car. I can’t take her back hungry though, and getting her out of the car at the restaurant looking like she does now, it won’t bode well for me. The waitstaff would likely think I kidnapped her.
“We really don’t have to. Seriously, I’m not even hungry. Can we just go back?” Her tone is filled with melancholy and barely withheld sobs.
The guys are going to kill me. Fuck, I want to punch myself at this point.
