Page 48 of Same Difference
“I don’t want your help—”
“I have to!”
She grabbed a pair of red lace panties from her duffel bag and pulled them on. “You don’t have to do anything. I already told you, you’re free.”
“I don’t feel free at all.”
“Well, I absolve you of your guilt—”
“You think I’m doing any of this because I feel guilty?”
“Of course you are,” she said, anger slowly boiling in her blood.
“What do you want from me?” he asked.
“Nothing!”
“Fuck,” he gritted out, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Delta clenched her hands. He just made her so…so…
The door swung back open and Nathan stormed back in. He didn’t slow as he approached her, and okay. Here he would go again. He would kiss her until she forgot she was hurt for a little while.
Only this time he didn’t kiss her. He pulled her into him and crushed her against his chest instead. He cupped the back of her head and gripped her hair gently in his grasp. “I hurt you,” he said against her ear. “I hurt you, and I hate it, and I’m sorry.”
She didn’t know how to respond. Tears prickled her eyes, and there was such a confusing tornado of emotions going round and round inside of her. “I’m sorry too.” Her words surprised her. She was sorry for so many things. Sorry she hadn’t been able to figure out how to talk to him before he’d destroyed them. Sorry she’d sent in the paperwork to dissolve their Arrangement so fast. Sorry they had fallen apart. Sorry she hadn’t been able to fix them before it was too late, and they had to do this dumb thing—navigating friendship. Navigating how to be in the same Pack while they carried around this unfinished business between them. She was sorry she was hot and cold, and sorry she didn’t know herself right now, and sorry he was having to put so much effort into fixing up her den. She was sorry for the mess they’d made.
“Delta,” he murmured against her neck, and picked her up off the ground.
She wrapped her arms around him and her legs too and she just existed there in his arms as he swayed them gently.This connection was what she had so desperately wanted. How poetically unjust that it happened for them only after their pairing was dissolved.
Her phone dinged with a message, and a split second later, Nathan’s phone signaled a text message as well. Another identical text sounded on their phones, and another.
And the moment between them was broken. The Pack text thread was going off.
Nathan set her down with a sigh. “Let me make sure everyone is okay.”
She nodded, feeling hollow and full all at once.
She watched him check his phone and frown down at the screen. “I have to go.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, rushing for her phone.
Nathan connected a call and headed for the door. “Hey Vic? I’m going to go get him. Can you come up to the property and grab Delta? She needs a ride into town for an interview.”
Delta read the text messages, following him out the door.
Nory had texted them911. Liam snapped on Jackson. Stalker. It’s bad. Police are taking him into custody. He’s trying not to Change. I’m following in my car! Someone get Nate!
Dodger had responded.Which precinct??
Vic had said,Hopping on the freeway now. Nate, are you reading this??
Bridger had asked,Is the stalker still alive?
Delta typed out Nory,Nate is headed your way!Send.
Crap, crap, crap.
