Just Business

Just Business Pt. 4

"Do you love me?"

The question landed hard but the silence stung even more. You feel like an idiot for asking but it slipped and now there's no taking it back. You dare to glance his way, his lips pursed like he's about to tell a lie. It was a habit he's had since you both were kids.

"Wow, where did that come from?" you laugh, trying to act a little bit tipsy. You keep laughing, trying to play it off so you can ignore whatever answer he was about to hand you. This is better, laugh it off, pretend you never said anything, pretend you're fine.

Cavan slides a hand onto your shoulder and you nearly break your act, tears stinging your eyes. "Right I need to go get my shoes! I-"

"Sunshine.. I-"

"Sorry I really need to get going. Can't keep them wa-"

"Sunshine please sto-"

"I might be back late so if you get tired I'll ju-"

"Will you just shut up for one minute!"

You were standing and halfway to the kitchen door, still holding your tears back. Cavan rarely gets angry or raises his voice but when he has it's always shaken you. "I'm sorry I just... You... I need a minute here..." His voice is a bit shaky and frustrated.

"It's fine... I need to get going. I-"

"They can wait. You can't just say something like that and walk away!" Cavan grabs your wrist and turns you around. His yellow eyes burning hot that you look away.

His voice is ragged as he tries to compose himself. "Why ask that? Why now?" He lets go of you and when you look up to him his face is flushed.

There are a lot of reasons why you asked, why you let the question slip. However none of them could rectify the situation you put yourself in. Panic begins to overtake you and as you search for an answer you break. You start crying thinking about how he was going to lie to you and you still can't tell if that's the worst of it or that you actually might have feelings for him.

You begin to fall to your knees and Cavan catches you, holding you close in his trembling arms. This wasn't supposed to happen. You were supposed to fake it till you could get away from your father and the trading business. Realizing that you're falling in love isn't part of all of it!

"I... I'm sorry. I..." you try and speak through your tears but you keep choking on your words. Cavan's grip on you tightens and then without warning he's picking you up. You steady yourself on his shoulders and when you look down you see that his face is also stained with tears.

"You were never supposed to know," he begins and your heart is already wrenching. Taking in a deep breath he continues, "I am in love with you, I have been for a while. I didn't want to say anything, I didn't know if I even should have said anything and now..."

His face twist with a fake smile and tears start stinging his eyes. "And now I've messed everything up by suggesting this stupid fake engagement!"

You feel sick to your stomach hearing all this. You want to get away and bolt out the door and pretend none of this never happened. But you're still here, still in his arms. "I'm sorry..." you mutter and his hands on your sides claw into you.

"For what? What is it that you keep apologizing for?!" he growls.

When you don't answer him immediately he whisks the both of you out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. He tosses you onto the bed and holds you there. In all your life, in all the times you've known him, he's never gotten this worked up at least not in front of you.

"I'm not letting you go until you give me some answers," he pins you down by your wrists and you can feel yourself trembling against him. You're afraid, but not because of him, but because of what you'll say and how it might ruin things between you and him. Cavan sighs and loosens his grip just a tad, probably realizing he's being too rough.