Page 11 of Chasing Ink
Alistair clears his throat but doesn’t say anything.Laine is the first to speak.“Are you telling us that this is what every woman lives through?”
“Most,” Hailey replies, “but we’re lucky.None of us have ever been seriously hurt.”
“And this is supposed to convince me to let my sister go to a strange bar, in a strange country with a man none of us have ever met?”Luke asks.
“I went to a strange school, in a strange city, and drank at strange bars with people you’ll never meet.”
He glares and I glare back.
“I’ll go with her,” Alistair cuts in.“I can keep an eye out.”
Hailey shakes her head.“Is one of you going to be in the room on her wedding night too?”
I almost lose it.If I had my way, Alistair would definitely be there but that’s still a long way off.“Whatever,” I say.“I’m used to being treated like a child.”
“Skye...”Luke starts but I wave him off.
“I was going to wait until we got home, but I’m leaving Franklinton.I’ll never have a life there with all of you looking over my shoulder.I already have a job and leased an apartment.”I stand, looking at each of them in turn.“I’m twenty-three years old and I can even go dancing without a damn babysitter.It’s time to cut the apron strings.”
“Wait, Skye,” Luke says as I walk away.
“Don’t worrybrother,” my tone drips with disdain.“I’m going to my bungalow.I won’t go dancing.I won’t have any fun without your permission but this shit ends when we get home.”
I kick off my shoes and pick them up before walking away.I know I just dropped a bomb on all of them, but I need them to see me as an adult before this week is over.Because, yes, I do have a new job and apartment lined up.But I don’t want to leave.I want to stay in the town I love, with my friends and family and the only man I have ever loved.
I just can’t keep living in a damn bubble.Luke wants to protect me but in the meantime, he’s smothering me and keeping me away from the only guy I’ve ever loved.
I only have time to strip out of my little red dress and throw on a bathrobe before someone starts banging against my door.I stand in the bathroom doorway for long moments, listening to the banging before I calmly make my way across the room.I unlock and open the door to find a glaring Alistair waiting for me.
“What do you want?”I ask.
“Are you going to let me in?”
“Depends.Are you going to yell at me?”I ask with a raised brow.
“Probably.”
I step aside and let him in.This is all part of my plan.I need to get him to admit what he’s feeling or none of it will mean a damn thing.
“Can we do this quickly?I want to get some sleep.”
“Woman,” he growls, running his hand over his face and his closely shaved hair.
“What, Ali?We both knew that whatever was going on here wouldn’t last.Hell, you couldn’t even make it a day before you let the guilt consume you.”
“Skye, you can’t be serious!”
He stares at me in disbelief, a hurt look in his eyes but I ignore it.I can’t be weak now.
“I’m leaving Franklinton when we get back home.”My words are final.
“And us?”
“There is no us,” I say, fighting to keep my voice steady.“You’ve made that clear over and over again.This,” I say gesturing between us, “this is just some fun before I leave.I get to scratch an itch and lose my virginity to someone who won’t hurt me.And you get to have the only thing you won’t ever let yourself have.”
He shakes his head.“Is that all this is?”
“What do you think, Ali?”I say, allowing myself to feel anger.“I’ve been throwing myself at you for years.One week of great sex isn’t going to change the fact that you won’t stand up for what you want.You won’t risk Luke’s friendship or anger.”
