Masked (The Divided Kingdom Book 1) by Shari Cross

Author:Shari Cross [Cross, Shari]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-17T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

HER

By the time we reach my home, I’m ready to scream with frustration. He’s completely overreacting! I don’t know what’s worse—his prolonged silence or his murmured apologies.

We approach the front door and Drake tugs lightly on my hand, pulling me to a stop. I glance at him expectantly, my heart thumping loudly in my chest, but whether it’s in anticipation of his words or from aggravation, I don’t know.

“I want to apologize again about today.”

Here we go again. “Will you stop doing that?” I shout and pull my hand free of his grasp.

“Stop doing what?”

I force the next words out, through my teeth, and try to hold back the tears.

“Stop acting like touching me is so reprehensible!” I fail at holding back the tears and they fall, cold and steady.

His gaze lingers on my tears for a moment before he turns away. “The way I touched you was reprehensible.”

His words fracture me. I grasp the cold metal doorknob, desperate for an escape, but his hand wraps around mine, stopping me from turning it. I look toward him, waiting for him to speak, but he says nothing, instead he just stares at me with blank uncertain eyes. Several dismal seconds pass before he removes his hand from mine and steps back. He’s not going to fix this. I turn away from him and push open the door. The heat from the fireplace blankets my body as I step inside. I slam the door shut behind me and lean my forehead against it, letting the coolness of the wood calm me while I try to steady my breath and slow my tears. His shadow is visible beneath the crack of the door, hovering on the other side. The urge to go back out to him is overwhelming, but I fight against it.

“I love you, Addy,” he murmurs, and then his shadow disappears. I glance out the window and watch him walk away.

* * *

When I hear the front door open, the moon has taken the sun’s place in the sky. Mother and Elizabeth must finally be home. Though I’m curious about where they’ve been, I’m too tired to get up and ask.

The last several hours have been torturous, as I’ve spent them waiting for Drake to come back. I was certain he would knock on the wooden shutters of my window. He never came. Instead, there’s a sturdy knock on my door.

“Come in,” I say tiredly, lifting myself off the bed.

Father walks in, an apprehensive look on his face.

“What happened?” I ask as I stand. “Is everyone all right? Where are Mother and Elizabeth?”

“Everyone’s fine. Your mother and Elizabeth are at your uncle’s, having supper. I told them you and I wouldn’t be able to join them. They should be home within the hour.” His face puts on a soft smile while he continues to linger in my doorway, his weight shifting from one foot to the other.

“Why aren’t we joining them? If we leave now we could still make it in time.

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