Page 50 of Savage Hate
The smoldering fury I felt before erupts into a full-body rage. “Why did you even drive me here if you knew the appointment had been cancelled?”
He tilts his head. “Because I wanted you to see firsthand how much of a bad decision it would be to move here.”
I bite my tongue and close my eyes, my hands turning to fists at my sides. “I really hope you all have a good explanation for this–”
“Move in with us,” he states simply, giving me his best shit-eating grin.
I explode, storming forward and shoving my hands against his chest. He stumbles back a bit, catching my hands at his chest and holding them there as I try my hardest to get my rage out.
We’re both pressed against the side of the building now, and I’m sure the uneven concrete wall is digging into his skin.
Good.
I am burning. I want him to feel it. Why did they have to meddle? Why would they ever think I’d want to live with them? My breathing turns ragged as my words turn bitter and cold.
“Fuck you, Silas.” My voice breaks on a sob. He’s still clutching my hands at his chest, and everything,everything, from the last month comes crashing down onto me.
I’m back in my hometown, trying to rent a dingy apartment building, with a man who used to hate everything about me…
How did I get here?
I start to cry a bit harder, a guttural sound coming from me. My chest heaves as Silas’s grip on my hands tightens.
“Move in with us, Lennon. It makes sense. We all work together, and you won’t have to pay rent–”
I scream at that, shoving him hard as hot tears spring free from my eyes.
“I’m not your charity case,” I growl, my lower lip wobbling. He furrows his brows and lets my hands go, but instead of pummeling him, I drop them to my side as I’m wracked with more sobs. “For some reason, you’re always saving me, and I don’t know why.”
“Did you ever stop to consider the fact that we actually like you now? Back then, you were this perfect little princess, with your perfect little life–”
“My life was never perfect. My parentshatedme. They wanted nothing to do with me, and I raised myself.” I cut him off, twisting around as I walk down the stairs. I’m seeing red, and the tears are blurring my vision. Silas grabs my hand and presses my body into the wall of the stairwell. I yelp out loud as his face comes within inches of mine.
“It makes sense now, Lennon,” he says calmly. “When we saw your mom that night–”
“Do you understand now why I need out of that place?” I ask, my voice hiccupping. “I don’t–I don’t wantanythingto do with her,” I seethe, and before I know it, his hands are wrapping around my body tightly.
“I know,” he murmurs, stroking the back of my head, which makes me cry even harder. “And I know what happened with that piece of shit fiancé, too. So please, let ushelpyou. I will charge you rent if it makes you feel better. But I know your soul died the instant you came back here,” he says carefully, his tone soft. “I don’t want to see the fire inside of you go out forever because you got stuck here. This way, you can leave whenever you want. No lease contracts. No obligations. Just crashing with friends,” he adds, squeezing me tighter.
God, my chest aches.More tears stream from my eyes, and I realize I’m not sad or angry anymore. This is a whole new emotion–something akin to what I imagine families feel. Warmth, compassion…love.
Something I’ve never had before.
“My soul didn’t die when I came here,” I explain, sniffling.
He pulls away, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Yes, it did.”
“How can you tell?” I ask, missing the way his body felt against mine.
“Because mine did, too. Like calls to like.” I look up into his face, his crystal blue eyes boring into mine as something electric passes through my body. “You and I didn’t grow up that different, you know. My parents were MIA, and I had to raise my brother by myself. It’s too bad we weren’t friends back then.”
Friendsback then.
As if he’s insinuating we’re friends now, which I guess we are. It’s still hard for me to accept that people want to be my friend.
Especially after the way I used to act at Ravenwood Academy.
“I was too busy making your life miserable,” I say glumly, keeping my eyes on him as I get the courage to finally speak the words I’ve wanted to for so long. “I’m sorry… for everything,” I add, pausing as I look down at my feet. “I don’t think I’ve ever formally apologized.” When I look back up at Silas, he’s frowning, but the look in his eyes isn’t one of sadness.
