Page 47 of Loathing Ryan
His eyes were serious as he measured how to deliver the blow I suspected was coming. “I think it would be better for you to stay here.”
I pushed my chair back and stood up abruptly. “Alone?” He gave a slight nod, and I scowled at him. “What makes you think that would be a good idea?”
Ryan stood up now too. He stayed where he was by the table, obviously trying not to get in my space. “Just hear me out, Bells,” he pleaded, reaching his hand out to me.
I crossed my arms and glared at him. Then a horrifying thought occurred to me. My stomach sank, and my blood turned to ice. All rational thought left my head as my fight-or-flight instincts were activated. “This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?”
He dropped his hand back to his side as he watched me with wide, alarmed eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“You were going to leave me here! Leave me under the impression that you would find help and then not come back.” I heard him snort from across the room, but I was on a roll now. “Make me start to have feelings for you,” I paused and pointed at him, “other thanhate. And then use those feelings to get exactly what you wanted this whole time!”
I paced back and forth on the already worn wooden floor. This wassolike Ryan. I couldn’t believe I had let my guard down with him. Now that I saw it, it was so apparent that this was his plan. He would leave me here in the cabin while he went to find help. Then, instead of bringing them back to get me, he would be lauded as a survivor and soak up the attention.
Then he wouldn’t have to worry about me anymore. I would be trapped out here forever, and slowly everyone would forget I even existed.
“Bells, don’t be ridiculous. I would never–”
“Never what?” I shot back at him. “Have you suddenly forgotten all the horrible things you’ve done to me in the past? ’Cause I haven’t. What’s one more big hurrah to add to the scorecard?”
He took a few long strides until he was right before me. “You’re being irrational, Izabel. Take a deep breath and calm down.”
I shook my head furiously as he grabbed my shoulders to keep me in place. “Actually, I think I’m finally starting to think clearly again.”
It made sense to me. He would butter me up, finally get me to soften toward him, and let him in. Then I, thinking we had something going for us, would trust him to the point that I would agree with everything he said, and then he would leave me. Alone. In the woods. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have fallen for his charm.
Stupid, stupid Izabel.
“You really think I would abandon you like that? After everything we’ve been through?” he asked me incredulously, and I shrugged.
“The jury’s still out on you.”
Ryan gave an exasperated sigh. “Look, you said how badly you wanted to be home the other night, and that got me thinking.”
“Thinking that you’d up and leave without inviting me?”
“You have no shoes, Izabel!” Ryan finally lost his cool and raised his voice to match mine. “Or have you forgotten that fact?”
I looked down at my feet, and then back up to him with a glare. “So?”
“So!” He groaned and dug his fingers through his hair. “So? So you can’t walk for a million miles because you’d tear up your feet. And I can’t carry you that far!”
My arms folded against my chest again. “Are you saying I’m too heavy?”
Ryan covered his face with his hands and swore. “No! Jesus, what is wrong with you today?” He took a few minutes to calm down before returning to me. “I can’t carry you because I’ll tear open my side again. And I’m no good to either you or myself if I bleed out.”
I was staring daggers at him, and I could feel the sting of tears threatening. I was so upset. “So what, you just want to leave me, and I’ll sit here like a princess in a tower waiting for your grand arrival? Should I be expecting a white horse, or…?” I trailed off.
He looked at me with an expression that screamed that he thought I was going insane. Well, the joke was on him. I wasn’t about to be made a fool of. Again. With a dramatic sigh, he fell back into his chair and buried his face in his hands.
“You know what? Forget I said anything.”
“Fine!” I fired back at him and spun on my heel.
“Fine!” he shouted back, throwing his hands in the air. “Where are you going?”
“None of your business!” I needed to get out of this cabin. Stomping to the door, I threw it open, letting it slam behind me. I bolted down the steps, noticing that Ryan wasn’t attempting to follow me. Good. I was tired of seeing his irritating, handsome face anyway.
I was fired up. What kind of stupid, idiotic idea was that? Ryan must’ve known I wouldn’t have been okay with his grand plan. He didn’t think I could do it; that must have been it. He thought I would just slow him down.
