Page 306 of The Heart You Kept

“Because I knew this is how you’d react.” He tries to throw it back on me. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“Ha.” I pick up my bag from the floor. “You gaslighting prick.”

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“This is your home,” he growls.

The waiters appear with a tray of our dinner.

“No. My home doesn’t have booty calls come to it,” I scream. “You fucking sleazebag.”

Their eyes widen and they freeze on the spot, they glance at each other, scared for their lives.

I march down the stairs.

“Alora,” he yells. “Get back here.”

“Go fuck yourself.” Adrenaline is surging through my veins and I can hardly see through the rage. I stumble out the front door and across the gangplank.

“Stop her,” Edward yells from the balcony above.

“Miss Sorenson.” Marcel runs along beside me as I march up the boardwalk. “Come back inside.” He grabs my arm.

I rip it out of his grip. “Touch me again and I’m calling the fucking police.”

“I must insist.” He grabs my arm again and I completely lose control and turn and rip it from his grip.

“Leave me alone,” I cry.

Edward comes running up the boardwalk. “Alora,” he says sternly. “Calm down.”

I trusted you.

His silhouette blurs.

“Come inside so we can talk about it.”

“I want to go home.”

“This is your home.”

I angrily wipe the tears from my eyes. “Marcel, can you take me to my place please?”

His eyes flick between Edward and me.

“I’ll drive you home myself,” Edward replies.

“I don’t want you to drive me anywhere.” My nostrils flare as I try to hold it together.

I can feel my world collapsing around me.

I trusted you.

“Come inside and talk for ten minutes and if you still want to go home then I’ll let you go.”

“You’ll let me go?” I screw up my face as my anger resurfaces. “Can you hear how fucked up that is?”