I swallow the pinch of hurt scraping against my ribs. He didn’t listen to a single word I said.
“Okay, brain genius.” Hina throws her shoe which hits Rhys in the back.
We turn around at the same time.
She’s covering her mouth to hide a boisterous laugh. “Sorry!”
My smile vanishes when I see Dean awkwardly standing miles away from them.
Him and Katarina should talk about their date. Get to know eachother.
If he truly likes her, then I’ll root for him. At the end of the day, we aren’t at Vuk Securities. We can do whatever we want.
He takes a step forward.
“Hey, can I have the girls come inside to pick today’s activity?” Irene peers out through the sliding door.
I’m already up and moving when Dean intercepts midway.
“Nova, can we talk?”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I swallow the anger. “What about?” There’s a pip to my voice. A squeak that’s fake, cause he doesn’t deserve me realness.
“Let me explain.”
Three words, when he should’ve been saying two.
“Nothing to explain,” he doesn’t let me through.
More quietly, “They came to?—”
“I said,” I ball my fists. Gritting my teeth. Giving him nothing because he doesn’t deserve my feelings either. “There’sno needto explain, Dean.”
My eyes shift towards the quiet whispering occurring behind him.
Rhys, Shaan, Hina, and Katarina are staring at us intently. Hina raises her brows in quick defence, ready to intervene if she needs to. I don’t respond to it, afraid I’ll spill all thehurtout of me if I start talking.
I stare at the faded scar above Dean’s brow. “Have fun today.”Hope you choke.
“Everything okay, love?” Rhys comes to stand next to me.
Dean’s response is no less than rude. “It’s fine. We’re having a conversation.”
“Actually Rhys,” I look straight into Dean’s questioning emerald stare. “We were done here.”
With a hand on my lower back, Rhys takes me back into the house.
I turn to glance back at Dean whose jaw is ticking like a bomb.
And that’s enough to make me feel better.
“He’s not bothering you, is he?” I put some distance when Dean’s out of view.
“Hm, what?” I look at Rhys, who’s looking at me looking back. I shake my head. “No, no. Of course not. He’s a good guy.”Is your heart alive? Can it stand the compliment? Should I call an ambulance?
Oh, shut up.
He nods, taking that in. “Your mistakes are yours to make. I respect that. But do you know why he went to prison, Nova?”
