Page 85 of Tainted Romance

Maybe it was the fact that the ice had finally been broken between us that I felt like I could approach him now, or maybe it was because it was after midnight and I had officially lost my mind. Either way, I found myself scanning the store looking for him.

Didn't take long to pick out his tattooed arms and broad shoulders in the fridge.

Pulling the doors open, I walked in just as he pulled out a case of Jimmy's.

"Big night?" I asked, using the most generic conversation starter possible. Great move, Allie.

"I should be the one asking you that. You're the one with two cases of beer and the Falcon brothers."

Was that judgment I heard?

"Asking would mean you would have to acknowledge my existence." I pursed my lips.

He grunted and stepped around me. For someone that used to be the one wanting us to be friends, he had completely gone back on the idea.

"It was all a lie, wasn't it? You never wanted to be my friend." I spun around, letting the frustration show on my face. How could he, when he could so easily lock me out of his life. "You never cared, did you?!"

His furious black eyes locked with mine.

"I should never have cared, but I did care. I cared a lot and I still fucking care."

Honesty and pain floated across his face before he turned his back to me and left. Leaving me alone in the cold - literally.

Chapter Thirty-six

It was all-consuming, driving my every thought and defeating every possibility until I finally snapped. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed answers.

That flicker of pain mixed with sorrow that had coated his face for that split second had not only left me staring up at Blake’s ceiling, but caused my mind to swirl with theories which resulted in me leaving the Falcon’s house and walking nine blocks to the pack house. It was official.

I was crazy.

And perhaps borderline stalking.

The pack house was treated more like a hotel than a home, although, in sharing that, it alwaysfeltlike home; inviting and safe.

The Harris’s had a wing blocked off on the top floor which was solely their area which was fair enough because I wouldn’t take lightly to people storming in around my bedroom either.

Still, that hadn’t stopped me from walking up the four extra staircases.

I wanted answers.

I didn’t want just clipped double-edged comments from him. I wanted answers; admitting that still made my skin crawl.

If only I could just block him out.

But no, I had to want to sort things out with him. Now, as I stood in front of his bedroom door, there was only one thing on my mind - what the hell was I thinking!

Just because I wanted to melt the ice between us didn’t mean he would want to.

This was Zane Harris after all. The notorious jerk who treated women like a new pair of socks - use once then throw them away.

I chewed my bottom lip debating on what to do. While I knew that side of Zane extremely well, I had also seen the softer side. The side that took me out for dinner, the side that was the supporter kind and wanted to protect me when he thought I was in danger.

Taking a sharp breath, I was either going to regret this in a few moments or be thankful I did it.

With a closed fist, I quickly knocked three times on his bedroom door.

How could one second passing feel like ten?

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