Silver Linings

E L E V E N

Genevieve

I'VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF RELATIONSHIPS. Most of them were in secret but I think that's what I loved most about them: the adrenaline of sneaking out, partying all night long while my father thought I was being his perfect daughter, doing whatever I wanted with who I wanted until the sun came up. Thinking of it now, I just liked the thrill of rebelling against my father, not the guys I was with. I mean, they were all the same: upper-class, looking for an escape from their life, sort of desperate.

They probably had the same idea as me. They only used me as an excuse to an out of the world they were forced to live in.

This isn't the same feeling I got then. I can feel my heart pounding against my ribcage but I don't think that's from adrenaline and my palms are sweaty just from being in the same proximity as Silas. He is the first man making me nervous to be around him but for some reason, I'm craving more of this feeling.

"Silas," I breathe, sitting up straight so I'm on my knees. I'm dressed in the pyjamas I always wear which are just my race car shirt and panda pants but under his gaze, I feel completely nude. "What are you doing here?"

"Must have made a wrong turn," Silas muses, shuffling toward my bed. I remain frozen where I am when his hands rest on either side of my legs. "Can I pick my bone now?"

I purse my lips. "What is it?"

"You and I have not been getting along."

"I didn't notice."

"See? You're so sarcastic." Silas's lips pout together and I grin with amusement. "How can you expect me not to lose my temper when everything you say is so... so..."

"Sarcastic?"

"Yes! That. So, I want another chance and in return, you need to stop provoking me with your smart-ass responses." My eyes snap down to his large hand as it stretches out. "Deal?"

I don't answer, staring at the giant hand outstretched in front of me.

I don't understand him. This morning, he was yelling at me about not being my friend and how I'm trying to be someone I'm not and now he's drunk and on the verge of collapsing on my bed, all but begging me to give him another chance. One thing's for sure, I've never met a man as confusing as Silas.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "What could you possibly get from being on my good side, Silas?"

Silas's lips purse as he thinks but doesn't break eye contact with me. His glowing red eyes hold the words that aren't being spoken.

"I know you're a pain in the ass, Gem, but I didn't take you for oblivious," he says.

I roll my eyes, nudging him away. Silas doesn't even budge. "So, what? You want to be my friend. What happened to your whole "boss first, friend second" speech that you preached to me about this morning? You know, before you crushed me like a bug under your shoe."

That tears his gaze from mine. He closes his eyes with a heaved sigh, shaking his head to himself. "I didn't mean that."

"Why would you even say it in the first place, then?" I exclaim as I slap his outstretched hand away. "Why would you go through all that trouble to talk to me, only to fuck it up not even an hour later!"

"I'm sorry, Genevieve," Silas pleads and grabs my wrist to stop me. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I don't know what else you want me to say that can help."

I force my gaze to the wall, grunting. There's no point in holding a grudge about this. I should have been expecting random bursts of anger from him considering his title. I won't draw on the situation but I certainly do not forgive him.