My Protector

Chapter 35: Resentment

Loren's POV

I sat with my back against the cool leather seats of one of Killian's new cars as he pulled out of the garage, past his other unnecessarily expensive vehicles.

The atmosphere was awkwardly quiet only filled with the rain slamming against the wind shield paired with the silent wisp as the windshield wipers pushed the water out of sight.

"Quite the weather to have on my first day out of the apartment" I mumbled staring straight ahead. Killian shuffled uncomfortably next to me but didn't saw a word. He shifted the cars gears as we sped up onto the freeway.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" I looked in the rearview mirror as the city started to disappear behind us. 

"I told you, we're going shopping."

"But there are plenty of shops in the city that are just fine.." I spoke, annoyed now by his short answers.

"Those shops close at 5, we're going somewhere where you'll have more time to peruse the stores."

"Well, I think if I wasn't locked up for, oh I don't know, the last month I would have had plenty of time to peruse the stores." I snapped bitterly and rolled my eyes. Before I could even get a chance to look over at Killian for his response, he reached over and grabbed the top of my hand with his, placing both of them on the shift nob. He quickly pushed the shifter up with my hand still on it and the engine roared to life as we sped past the other cars.

I looked over at the speedometer and saw a number that made a pit form in my stomach. We had reached 100 mph.

"Killian, please slow down" my voice trembled as I tried to pull my hand away. I watched as the number dropped down to 70, the palms of my hands already sweaty.

My hand remained under his as we drove towards another city with fewer skyscrapers yet more modern buildings. We pulled into a stall in a dry parking garage and he finally let my hand go. I quickly pulled it back to my side and huffed at the fact that he would even keep it for so long.

He turned the car off and we were instantly surrounded by silence again. I quickly turned my body and pulled on the door handle but Killian's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"You don't get to resent me for keeping you in the apartment since we got back" He spoke calmly yet the air was tense. I was frozen, still facing the door. "Do you understand me?"

"No," I responded, staring at my reflection in his black window. I watched as he turned his head towards me, jaw clenched tightly shut.

"No?" He questioned. I looked up and his stare burned into mine even in a reflection.

"No" I whispered. I shut my eyes and tensed my body anticipating what he would do. Instead I was answered with silence. I opened my eyes and saw that he was now staring straight ahead, lost in a thought.

"You can be angry with me, I understand that. You can be frustrated, I get it. But you don't get to resent me. You were locked up in a small space for an extended amount of time. You were bored. And I wasn't there for much of the time to help you through it.. but I want you to understand my reasoning for it. I just simply couldn't let you back into the world, vulnerable,  while they are still out there." He paused and let out a breath. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you again. I'm lucky enough to even think of the possibility of again, do you even know how lucky you are to be here? "

His last words floated in the air as I refused to listen.

"I wasn't planning to keep you locked up for forever. Just until you regained some of your strength."