Page 85 of Sweet Hate
“Jesus Verona, I only needed some ice.”
Not thisVeronacrap again. I hate it. She’s doing it to put distance between us. I’m sure of it.
“Don’t call me that.”
Her eyes rise to mine in confusion.
“What? Why? It’s your name.” She tilts her head in adorable confusion, but this act doesn’t fool me.
“No, my name is Axel. Other people call me Verona. Not you.”
Quirking her brow at me, she silently mouthsokaybefore slipping the frozen fruit out of my arms.
“No. Let me do it.”
I dump the rest of the stuff onto the table beside her and take the bag back to wrap it in the hand towel. Grabbing the pillow, I gently lift her foot up onto it before placing the makeshift ice pack on her now-swollen ankle. Then I uncap the water bottle and grab two painkillers, offering them to her.
“Take these.”
“Axel, I really am fine. I sprain my ankle all the time, you know how clumsy I can be. You don’t need to worry about me.”
I do worry. I’ve always fucking worried.
“Sprinks, don’t argue. Take them.Please.”
She reaches out and takes them with a raised brow. “Fine. But only because you saidplease.”
I offer up a silent prayer that she agrees to my proposal tomorrow, so I can punish that sassy mouth of hers.
“Why don’t I carry you upstairs to my place and you can just chill on the sofa? When you’ve rested for a while, I’ll drive you home.”
“What? No, that’s not necessary. I’m totally fine here. It’ll be all good once the painkillers kick in. But thank you anyway.”
She’s being so formal considering she had her tongue in my mouth an hour ago, while the clawing need to protect and provide for her drives me insane.
“Fine, but I’m driving you home. No arguments.”
She opens her mouth, then slams it shut as I slide her phone and the chocolate toward her.
“Now don’t move. When you’re ready to head out, or if you need anything else, just shout or text me.”
Turning my back on her for the second time today feels wrong, but the alternative is sitting here, staring at her like a weirdo.
I don’t think that’ll do me or my dick any favors.
A few hours later,I’m about ready to call it a day.
I haven’t done half as much as I should have in here, worrying about Haven being injured and the countdown till I get her answer.
I wish she’d at least let me take her up to my apartment, purely for her own comfort. Nothing to do with seeing her in my space.
Okay, maybe a little bit to do with that. But not much.
I can’t spend the entire night cooped up in there watching the clock though, so I text Beckett and Max to see if they’re up for a drink at Jett’s.
Relief courses through me at their immediate agreement. Marginally lighter, than before. My boys will be the distraction I need once I take my girl home.
I head to the front of the bakery to find Haven hobbling around on her bad ankle.
