Page 18 of The Masks We Wear

I shrug, “Maybe because you hate me that much.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t hate you.” He admits. “I just find you to be incredibly annoying.”

I scoff, “That makes me feel so much better about eating something you made me.”

Harvey’s voice becomes more commanding. “Sit and eat before the eggs get cold.”

I sit in my seat and can’t help myself. I start tearing into the food and it actually tastes really good. “So why the nice gesture?” I was expecting cruelness from him today.

He leans his elbows on the counter. “Because I have a proposition for you and I’m trying to butter you up.” He says honestly.

I raise a brow as I continue chewing. “Proposition?”

He nods. “I would like to propose that you play nice and don’t run away on me again. You also don’t drink or do any drugs and you behave yourself and I will in return, play nice as well and I will allow you to go to more locations of your choosing as long as you are accompanied by me and agree not to leave my sight.”

“Not even to pee?” I tease but he raises a brow that suggests he doesn’t find my joke funny. I think about it and make a big show of considering his proposition before I shrug. “I guess so. You promise you’ll let me see my friends and go out though?”

He sighs, “Yes, but are you sure seeing your friends is a good idea? They’re constantly high and it seems that you have an issue being the only one not high.”

Am I that easy to read? I frown, chewing slower as I consider this. “They’re all I have.”

“You have Selene.”

I shake my head, “Selene doesn’t get me. She’s my bestest andoldest friend in the whole world but she doesn’t know the first thing about walking in, let alone wearing my shoes.”

“She cares about you. Enough that she almost terminated my contract yesterday for losing you.” He frowns, anger seeping into his black gaze.

The thought of Selene firing him doesn’t sit right with me. I’ve gotten used to my babysitter these past few weeks and the thought of having a new one replacing him bothers me. Maybe Harvey Taylor is growing on me only a little bit.

“You owe me an apology for that by the way.” He scowls at me.

I roll my eyes. “I don’t do apologies.”

“Well start doing them because you not only took advantage of my being on the phone but proceeded to have me searching for you for hours. You sent me on a wild goose chase.” He growls at me.

I rest my chin on my hand. “Well maybe if you weren’t so preoccupied with your phone and your secret little girlfriend or whatever, you wouldn’t have lost sight of me and nothing would’ve happened.” Eleven out of ten on the toxic behavior scale. One thing about me, I’m good at shifting the blame onto others. I know very well when I’m wrong, I just don’t like admitting itorapologizing for it.

He clenches his jaw. “I wasn’t calling a girlfriend. I already told you I don’t have one.”

I raise my chin at him, “So who was it?”

“My little sister.” He informs me. Raising a brow at me.

He has a younger sister. Relief washes through me knowing that he doesn’t have a girlfriend even though I know I have no right. “Oh,” Is all I say.

“Yeah, oh.” He replies, a bite to his tone. “She was texting me yesterday because I just got her a phone for her birthday and she’s excited about it. She also called me to tell me how her day was at school, hence the call I took. She’s very important to meso forgive me for not paying attention to you for five seconds.”

Well now I feel like a gigantic asshole. I don’t say anything as I spoon the smoothie bowl into my mouth. “Do you accept my offer or not?” He changes the subject.

I nod. “Sure.”

He grins a cocky grin as he reaches into his pocket. “Great.” He pulls out a small plastic cup and I immediately feel my stomach churning, my breakfast threatening to make a reappearance. He places the hospital grade cup on the counter and slides it towards me. “Now pee in this.”

“I-” I stutter, disbelief taking over my voice and my entire expression as I glance between him and the cup. “What?”

He crosses his arms. “Today is your first drug test.”

“But you know I’m gonna fail.” I protest.

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