Piercing Hatred | ✔️

9

~Flora's POV~

The rest of Monday and Tuesday went by rather uneventfully at work, luckily for me. I took the elevator up to my apartment when I got home after my shift ended, twirling my keys as I made my way down the hall.

As I was approaching my apartment, Knox stood just outside the front door, causing my eyes to narrow into thin slits at the sight of him. "Why are you waiting outside my apartment?" I demanded to know, clutching my keys tighter. He pushed off the wall that he was leaned against and sighed, likely knowing that I was ready to curse him out and demand him to go away. "I'm not here to piss you off for once, doll face. I actually needed to talk to you about something work related, and then I'll be out of your hair." He assured me, raising his hands slightly as if in surrender.

Though I didn't respond, I gave a curt nod of my head to let him know that I was listening to whatever it was he wanted to say. He pursed his lips and bit his bottom lip, waiting for me to unlock the front door before I reluctantly let him inside my apartment. There was no point talking in the hallway, where people could potentially hear.

I shut the door and locked it, flicking on the living room light before I turned to face him. It felt strange to have him in my apartment, as this was the first time I had actually willingly invited him inside. Despite myself, I couldn't help the way my heart skipped a beat, ever so slightly. "Well," I said expectantly, leading him into the living room. "Spit it out, then." I told him, setting my purse down on the coffee table in front of my couch.

Knox stayed standing while I sat on the couch and peered up at him, his frame seeming even wider, larger at this lower angle. I could better see how muscular he was, how angular his features were.

"Odette kind of talked to me yesterday, and she essentially told me that you and I need to clear the shit up between us. Apparently our avoiding each other and shit isn't something that can be continued in the workplace. We have to leave it for outside of work." He explained slowly, as if unsure how I'd respond. I narrowed my eyes at him and crossed one leg over the other, slightly suspicious of him. "Right. And Odette told you this?" I asked flatly, cocking up a brow.

"Yes. She specifically said there'd be consequences if we didn't start playing nice with each-other by Friday." He insisted, but I wasn't buying it. I rolled my eyes and stood from the couch, giving him a look that was evident enough of how little I believed that.

"Really, now?" I smiled slightly as I looked at him. "Then why'd she tell just you? I work there, too, you know. If she actually wanted that, don't you think she'd talk to me about it as well?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders, not having an answer for my question. "How the hell should I know? I'm just bringing up what she told me to." He said defensively, the muscles in his arms flexing when he crossed them over his chest.

A scoff left me before I could stop it, and I narrowed my eyes out of annoyance. "If you're going to lie about something like this, at least don't bring Odette into it, Knox." I snapped, frustrated that he was still lying. I didn't believe him, not for a second. I wasn't sure what he was trying to do, what sort of stupid game he was trying to play, but I had no interest in it.

To my surprise, now Knox looked frustrated as well, giving me a glare. "I'm not fucking lying, Flora." He swore, only earning a flat look that had him clenching his jaw. "Look, I know you think I'm a piece of shit, and that's fine, but I'm not going to lie about this sort of thing. I've worked there for three years, Flora, and you? You've been there a month. I know you need this job just as much as I do. I'm not about to potentially be fired because you're not willing to push aside your stupid grudge against me at work."

My mouth hung open as I peered up at him, able to see the clear frustration in his face and hear the anger within his voice. It was then that I realized he wasn't kidding. He was being dead serious.

Even so, I snapped my mouth shut and sneered. "You call my grudge stupid but I don't see you fucking apologizing for what you did, Knox. Don't act like I'm the only one of us being high and mighty when you don't even have the balls to say sorry." I scoffed, shaking my head at the audacity that he had. Sure, I'd admit that I held a grudge, but it wasn't like I was the only one possibly in the wrong. If he couldn't apologize, why should I forgive him?

"If I say sorry, will you actually make an effort to be civil at work, Flora?" He asked, cocking a brow at me challengingly. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "No." I answered flatly, watching as frustration flashed over his handsome features.

"Fucking hell." He grunted at me and shot a glare at me as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Fine, then. I tried, so don't act surprised when Odette punishes both of us because you're not willing to set aside your feelings." He scoffed, shaking his head. I scowled when he pushed past me, the warm scent of lavender and citrus accompanying his close proximity.

Though I had an odd urge to stop him when he swung open the front door, not wanting the conversation to end just yet, I instead just glared at the back of his head and watched him slam the door behind him as he left.

I was left alone in my apartment, feeling strangely unsure what to do with myself after the argument.