Messy Love(18)

Facing Wyatt like this, in the packed club with the music blasting so loud that it echoed through my chest and would undoubtedly make my ears buzz later tonight, I found myself unable to break the look, unable to pull away.

“Why do you hate me? I didn’t do anything to you,’’ I mumbled, and his eyes left mine to fix my mouth as I talked too quietly for him to catch everything with the music blasting and the people at our table talking loud and laughing.

He put an arm on the back of the couch, caging me partially. His forearm, warm, touched the back of my neck, tugging on a few strands that got caught in the wide leather band around his wrist. I didn’t need to look down at my arms to know my skin was breaking out in goosebumps. I sensed the small hair standing up, eliciting a slow traveling shiver through my body.

When his eyes went back to mine, I didn’t understand why my anger at him wasn’t more biting. Instead, I waited for his next words.

“You walked in my family, threatening our balance.’’

I frowned at him. “I met my birth mother to get answers regarding my conception. I’m not part of your family and I never will.’’

“Aren’t you going to keep in touch with my mother?’’ he pressed on, his eyebrows lowered over his dark eyes, hiding most of his expression from me. But I felt the tension coming back in the way he’s holding himself, in the line of his shoulders and how he gripped the back of the couch behind me. “You’ve walked in now. Things are going to change. Don’t delude yourself into thinking it won’t.’’

“What you’re saying is that you’re going to make me pay for my need to get answers. Is that it?’’ I locked my jaw, grinding my molars before I let out my frustration at him. I didn’t come out here tonight to get in a fight. I was supposed to be having fun, drinking, and dancing. I was supposed to be happy, not mad.

“Have you stopped to think just once before you barreled into my mother’s life what it’d do to her and her family? To her little girl?’’

I made sure to keep my eyes on his, so close it’s impossible for an outsider to know we’re in fact having an argument instead of getting ready to kiss. But kissing him was the farthest thing on my mind. My heart wasn’t just beating rapidly anymore; it’s hurting at each beat as if it’s breaking a bit more every time the muscle pumped blood, fracturing the fragile flesh.

“I’ve been wondering things about my birth mother since I was eleven, Wyatt. When I got the information regarding her family, I hesitated in risking a visit. I almost didn’t, but do you have any idea what it’s like to be wondering if your conception isn’t the result of abuse? Do you know what it’s like to have all these pieces about yourself missing? Do you know how scary it was for me to go and see Lydia?’’ I was breathing loud, my chest heaving uneasily. “Just… Forget it. I’ll be out of your hair.’’ I looked away, glanced at Ralph and found him busy whispering in Emma’s ear. I shook my head and turned to Jamie, still chatting and laughing with the other guys. I tapped on his shoulder, ready to let him know I was leaving.

He turned around, and one look at my face had him glaring at the man responsible for my emotional distress over my shoulder. “Marissa?’’

I shook my head. “Don’t worry. I’ll get a cab. Enjoy your night, okay?’’

“I’m not going to let you go alone.’’ He slid out of the lounge couch and grabbed my hand, glaring one last time at Wyatt before he towed me away without a single look or word to the guys he had been having fun with. I didn’t look back either. I was too caught up between the need to yell and the urge to cry. Nothing good could come out of an emotional shortage.

***





WYATT


I stood up, cursing loudly, but my voice got lost in the beat of the song I barely heard through the damn buzz of the blood beating against my temple. I ground my teeth and pushed away a guy standing in front of me, blocking my path to catch up to Marissa and her brother.

This time, I didn’t pay attention when a few women tried to get me to notice them. I didn’t give a fuck about getting a piece of tail to tie me over for tonight.

Right now, all I thought about was going to Marissa before she left. To what end? I didn’t have a damn clue, but it’s a need I felt from the pit of my stomach, a need so strong it made me break out in cold sweat at the idea of never seeing her again. For all I knew, she’s about to leave my life forever.

I had thought that’s what I wanted but… Not like this.

As soon as I left the darkness of the club, I looked around, convinced I missed them when I caught a glimpse of two people walking close to each other on the opposite sidewalk, probably heading to a busier street to grab a cab.

“Marissa!’’ I yelled, my voice a roar in the otherwise rather quiet street saved for the line waiting to get in the club. Heads turned to me, but I didn’t stop. “Marissa, wait!’’

But she didn’t respond. Only her brother faltered and glanced at me, a look on his face that left me no doubt; he wanted to fuck me up pretty bad. I couldn’t blame him. I’d ruin anyone who would hurt my little sister too.

He snatched Marissa’s elbow before she could get too far away and tugged her closer to him as I jogged, zigzagging between a few cars to join them on the sidewalk.