His three rules

Chapter 20

"I'll make sure he leaves on my way out," Lincoln said as I thanked him with a small smile while grabbing a cloth from the cupboard.

As I cleaned the cuts on Dante's hands I could see how deep they were and that it would surely leave a mark. I watched as he tried to hold back a grimace while watching my every move.

"I'm sorry."

My eyes met Dante's as he placed his hand over mine moving it away from the cuts.

"You don't need to be sorry. " I replied trying to go back to cleaning his wounds but his hand on mine prevented me from doing so.

"I just, I can't stand him. He gets underneath my skin and when he started talking about you as if you're one of his conquests, I saw red."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

I took a deep breath as I tried to pick out the correct words in my mind in a way that I could phrase my question appropriately, without upsetting him even further.

"Why is it that you're always so cold with me and treat me like I don't exist? But then you defend my honour and protect me? Why do you keep sending me mixed signals?"

I watched his eyes bounce between mine I could tell he was having an internal battle with himself.

"It's...because...I do care about you. I just, can't."

"Can't? Or don't want to ?" I asked seriously and a little hurt.

"It's more complicated than you think Sophia."

"Then why won't you try and help me understand that? Are we a team or not Dante ?" I started getting teary-eyed as I could tell he was hiding something from me.

"That's not fair."

"What's not fair? You keeping secrets from me? Or me loving you anyway?" I was full-on crying at this point, tears streaming down my face. He tried to reach his hand out to me in an attempt to comfort me, but I rejected his touch. It all felt fake and I didn't want any part of it anymore. "See, you can't even answer me. That's exactly what I mean. Gosh, I'm so stupid! Why did I think you could ever feel the same way? "

"Sophia, I -"

"I need a break from you," I said in realisation as I walked out of his room and ran downstairs. I didn't even care that Lincoln was helping see George out or the fact that both of them asked me what was wrong. My cries filled my ears as I walked down the driveway going who knows where, the moon being my only companion as the summer wind blew the tear stains on my cheek dry.

I was alone.

I've been alone my whole life.

I've always hated being alone, detesting my own company, and going to poker games just to be around other people. But weirdly, tonight I just wanted to be by myself. I wanted to forget everything from my past and forget everything that happened with George and Dante.

I just wanted to forget.

Everything.