Stars Fall by Regena Ryan

Author:Regena Ryan [Ryan, Regena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Goldline Ink
Published: 2024-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 41

Annie

We made the drive back to his house in awkward, heavy silence. Both thinking but not knowing what to say.

Just before we turned into his driveway, still not looking at me and with his voice controlled, he said, “Annie, if I ever tell you to go, please listen. I don’t want you around things like that.”

Like what? You losing your mind in a room full of people?

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing,” he insisted coolly, shutting off the engine. He finally looked at me. “If he does something, anything at all, to retaliate, I want you to tell me.”

I nodded, never intending to keep that promise, and reached for my door.

“Stay put, I’ll get that.”

By the time he helped me out of the truck he seemed more like himself again. Squeezing my shoulders, he muttered into my hair, “You’ve managed to push buttons I didn’t know I had.”

I didn’t bother arguing that I wasn’t pushing his buttons.

“Water?” He didn’t wait for my reply, going straight to the kitchen. I propped myself on the back of the leather sofa. The dead animals commiserated from the walls. Like they were observing one of their kind.

He popped his head back around the corner, with a little grin, “Something stronger?”

“Water, please,” I managed weakly.

He came back wearing a calm smile and holding two bottles of water. Putting them in one hand, he held out the other, then led me down the hall to the only room in the house that looked like it belonged to Whit, and Whit alone.

The furniture was traditional in style, but looked new. A navy comforter was thrown over a bed with a giant headboard. A tan upholstered armchair with wood arms hugged a corner. Whit’s brown leather bag sat on the cushion. The wood paneled walls were bare, except for one deer head, its antlers fanning in all directions. I’d be willing to bet Whit’s name was on the little metal plaque.

With my hand still in his, he walked us over to the bed, put the waters on the nightstand, then stopped just in front of me. The small smile was still playing on his lips.

“I believe we left off with me not behaving.”

He dipped his head low for a tender kiss. Incomprehensibly, no aggression seeped into what he was doing.

When he pulled back, though, I could see it was still there; his pupils were dilated. The ferocity was still lurking, the animal awake; Whit was just a master of control.

“You’re not ok.”

I shook my head, no. I did not possess the same ability to recover. And something about tonight—too many things—just didn’t sit right.

My voice shook, “I think—I think I need a minute.”

To my horror, my eyes filled with tears, so I kept them open wide to prevent the fall, but the rest of my body didn’t couldn’t keep up. In a chain reaction, my heart slammed in my chest as I gulped for air that didn’t seem to make it into my lungs while my shoulders shook in silent sobs.

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