Steel Rose

Chapter 84

Belle POV

"I can't believe you," I say as I thrown open the door to my new house. It still smells new and like cleaning products. My brand new grey couch sits against the wall with my new glass coffee table in the center. I kick off my shoes and place them by the door. "Kenneth is my friend."

Behind me, Ptolemus scoffs as he steps out of his boots. "He is so obviously more than your friend."

"No," I counter but my mind flashes back to our kiss at the glow party so many weeks ago. "Ken is my friend. He gave me a job, he's been kind and patient with me. He's good with Dasarious. I don't understand why that angers you."

Behind me, Ptolemus sucks his teeth. In my arms, Dasarious blows spit bubbles. "I'm not angry," he grumbles. "It upsets me because he wants so much more from you. I don't understand how you don't see that."

I roll my eyes and place Dasarious in his play pen. Inside, are various toys to keep him busy. He frowns at me and rolls over on his stomach. I turn to Ptolemus, placing my hands on my hips. My next words are meant to hurt him. I know that and I let them slip from my tongue anyway. "Okay, so what if he wants something more. What if I want that?"

Ptolemus blanches. His jaw clenches. His hands curl. And his eyes go wide. He looks surprised but also terribly sad. I am shocked myself when I realize that he's probably never even considered me having other potential partners. Has never once thought about me liking, let alone leaving him for somebody else.

He trembles and his voice lowers. "I thought you wanted to work things out between us."

"I said I wanted to take things slow. I said I wanted you to be apart of Dasarious' life. But I need time, Ptolemus. We both do. We can't just go back to the way things were back in Norta. A lot has changed."

"I know," he starts. "And I'm fine with taking things slow. But I was under the impression that meant we were sticking together. Working together and eventually settling down. Not seeing other people."

Settling down. What does he mean by that? "I'm not seeing him."

"You're entertaining it."

"I'm not," my voices rises and it's a clear giveaway to how close he is to coming to the truth. So much for my many, many years of court training. "Just because a man is kind doesn't mean he wants to be with me," I retort. "In that way."

Ptolemus rolls his eyes at me. "Isabelle."

I purse my lips and turn away from him. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." Done with the conversation, I make way towards the kitchen instead. Perhaps prepping dinner will cool me off.

"I do," Ptolemus says slightly more forcefully.

"What's left to talk about?"

"Plenty apparently." He says.

Some of my righteous anger surfaces. It hits me at full force and my hands clench at my sides into fists. "Fine!" I turn on him and my feet carry me faster than I intend. We stand face to face a small gust of air blowing in my wake. His eyes widen slightly. "You want to talk, Ptolemus! Let's talk about you, cause I've certainly got plenty to say about that!"

"Isabelle-,"

"You can't actually think that we could just go back to how things were in Norta! After all that's happened. All the things you let happen."