Page 59 of Burdens
More importantly, he also deserved to finally know the truth I’d been hiding from him. I’d thought I had done a better job at protecting him against my father, but learning that he’d knownfor years that I’d concealed his parents’ murder made me feel like I’d failed him.
On top of that, the fact that my dead half-brother almost killed his wife made it even worse. While he might struggle to forgive me for keeping my connection to my father, I clung to the hope he’d understand. If he didn’t, then I’d keep trying until I earned his forgiveness.
“How long would it take him to come?” Nassim asked.
“Once he agrees, just a few hours.”
He gave me a quick nod in response, reaching for his tea and downing the rest of it before speaking again. “All right, not that I don’t enjoy this beautiful company, but I do have a wife to go back to,” he said, pushing off his seat to stand.
The previous jealousy that had been slithering in my veins instantly evaporated when the knowledge that he was married registered in my brain.
I had no right to be jealous, but Amalia was and would always be mine.
Once up, he extended his hand in my direction. “Wish we’d met under different circumstances, but maybe after all of this, we can talk more,” he suggested, a soft smile playing on his lips.
I grabbed his hand in mine and stood. I wasn’t one to let people in, but something about him being Reda’s son was making me reconsider my stance. I didn’t have much of a family anymore and I still didn’t know if the one I still had would be there for much longer, but I decided I wouldn’t turn down his offer just yet.
“Yeah, let’s talk once my father’s a distant memory,” I finally replied.
He turned his body toward Amalia, who was still sitting. “Care to walk me to the door?” he told her, a tentative smile on his face, one of his dimples showing.
She rolled her eyes at him and motioned for him to lead the way. They strolled down the hallway, and I heard her fire a plethora of curses at him in Spanish as she harshly smacked the back of his head.
I stifled a laugh, covering it with a cough. She was already pissed at me and I didn’t need more things working against me.
In response, Nassim simply rubbed the back of his head and shrugged, a hint of guilt crossing his face. His expression didn’t seem to have anything to do with the fact that he’d agreed to my proposal and more because he didn’t like overruling her decisions.
After a few more hushed words, he lifted two of his fingers to his forehead, saying goodbye with a swift motion before opening the door and leaving. Once the door clicked shut, the palpable tension that had been present in the car reemerged in the air between us.
She locked the door with a key and fastened the bolt underneath it before walking back down the hallway.
“Amalia,” I called out to her when she stepped into the living area without a glance in my direction.
We were well into the night and dawn would break the horizon in just a few hours, but I wanted to talk to her. She’d ignored me earlier and I hadn’t pressed her, but I was done waiting.
She made her way into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, then moved toward the closed door in the living room where I assumed the bedroom lay.
“Amalia,” I tried again.
Please, baby, look at me.
She didn’t and grabbed the handle, pushing the door open.
I stepped in her direction and was about to call her name out again when she turned around, meeting my gaze head-on. A myriad of emotions crossed her face—anger, betrayal… hurt.
“I already told you in the car earlier, I have nothing to say to you.” I took another step in her direction, but she held her hand up. “It’s late, Noah. I don’t have the energy to keep telling you no, so just let me go.”
I can’t.
I opened my mouth to protest, but she interrupted me again. “Please, Noah.” She gestured toward the door leading to the courtyard. “There’s a faucet and a bucket outside you can use to shower. Bathroom’s over there.” She pointed to a small door in the corner opposite the kitchen. “You can sleep on the cushions or I think there’s an old mattress in the courtyard you can use, although I don’t know how long it’s been outside if it’s still even there.”
Once she was done, she walked inside the bedroom and shut the door behind her, not leaving me room to say anything back.
I stood still in the middle of the living room, hesitating on what to do next. On one hand, I wanted to barge into the room and make her talk to me, but on the other, I knew that if I pushed her too hard, too fast, she would close me off forever and I’d lose the opportunity to have her give me a chance to explain myself.
So I decided to respect her wishes for now and instead retreated to the courtyard. Once outside, my eyes scanned the area. It was relatively small, but for the size of the house we were in, I wasn’t surprised.
Patterned tiles lined the ground while tall stucco walls shielded us from peering eyes. I spotted the mattress Amalia had been referring to was propped against the back wall, but it was a mess.
