Falling

19 | Dinner Date (part two) (Dante's POV)

It's not long before Asher is bringing us our food and we eat in a tension-filled silence. I'm still going over and over in my head what she said earlier about her past. How scared she was of it. I remember reading about her mother's death and would understand if that's what's got her so scared but it seems like more.

I wanted this night to be more than just our stupid fucking contract, in a weird way. I know it shouldn't be, but I wanted it to. But with us, it can't be, so I ask anyway.

I lean forward on my arms after piling my empty plate to the side.

"Why are you so scared of your past being revealed, Amelia?" Right away she straightens and puts her guard up. Her body language reads self-defense and I know I should stop but I can't. 

Something about the entire thing is throwing me off, so when she says she'd rather not talk about it I know there's gotta be something deeper. When Rodney looked into it for me he revealed the basics, but now I can't help but think there is something trending danger within. And I don't like that one bit.

"Are you in danger, is someone after you?" I clench my jaw. "Because you can tell me, I can protect you from whatever you think is going to hurt you." The thought of her being hurt is a foreign one but it sends a chill through my body. Picturing someone laying a hand on her makes me want to kill the fictional bastard.

She's shocked at my words and I can see her lips wobble. I don't do well with emotion but it's clear as day she's going to cry.

"I don't need you to protect me." She says, yet all I hear is I need protection but not from you. Her voice cracks when she says it and it's all the confirmation I need. There is something deeper here and it has her on the verge of tears. But if she swears it's nothing more than what I know, then I have to apologize.

"I'm sorry Amelia, about your mother," I say in hopes it's what she's thinking about. I know apologies are futile in circumstances like these but It's all I can offer. Apparently it's the wrong thing because she quickly gasps and turns angry.

"What'd you just say?" My gut drops at her words. I lean in, wanting to comfort her but knowing I can't. I fucked up, I always do. I shouldn't have said anything about her mother or any of this. I should've just kept talking about fucking Rodney.

I explain to her how I know but it's clear I just keep fucking up because she gets sadder and angrier. I don't know how to control the situation once again, and it's getting me riled up.

"You had no right to dig that deep." She says, venom laced with every word. I've never seen her this angry and hurt. It's like any time before this was just the beginning of her anger. I pushed too far, way too far. I'm my own worst enemy.

"I'm sorry." It's another futile saying but it's all I can say at the risk of making anything even worse. I watch her stare at me like she'd rather be anywhere else and I curl my hands into a fist. I want to comfort her and tell her I didn't mean to make her upset. I want to tell her I enjoy our banter and our flirtatious hate.

Not this.

Asher returns to the table asking if we'd like dessert but all I'm focused on is Amelia who sits across from me shaking and staring at her fingers.

"Just the check please," I say without looking at him. I was watching her fully break and I had no idea what to do.

Just as Asher walks away, Amelia stands.

"I have to use the restroom," She says. Her voice is scratchy and I see the first tear fall down her face as she says it. She runs before I can answer, bee-lining for the back of the restaurant towards the bathrooms.