With A Twist

FIFTEEN (THEO)

She left.

She left us. 

She left me. 

I can't get past it. My mind always defaults back to her getting into that car with Alexei. It's burned into my mind with a branding iron rod. 

"What the fuck was that about?" Dawson yells, following me into the gym in the penthouse. I don't turn to look at him, staying silent as I wrap my wrists, anger coursing through my veins. 

"You hurt her," he continues and I clench my jaw. 

She hurt me. 

Taking off my shirt, I walk over to the punching bag and begin landing blows on it. I start to lose all sense of surroundings, focusing my entire attention onto pounding my fists into the material. My heart rate increases with each punch I throw and my mind begins to un-fog. 

My rage renews itself when Dawson grabs onto the bag, stopping me from hitting it. I glare at him, practically seething but he glares back, clearly not backing down. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he glowers at me. 

"She fucking left us, Dawson. She went and got into the car with Alexei, didn't tell us shit and then emerged again. How am I meant to trust her when I blame her for doing the exact same thing my sister did. My sister became a rat. It's the same pattern," I seethe, bunching my hands into fists.

He stares at me with shock on his face and we keep eye contact, challenging each other to a fight. 

"You blame her for giving herself up to the Russians to save my sister?" Andros's voice fills the gym, making us both look over to him. 

I raise my eyebrow nonchalantly and he walks over to us, anger brewing on his face. He catches me unexpectedly with a punch to my face, making me stumble back at the pure force behind it. Pain radiates through my cheekbone but I brush it off, narrowing my eyes at him. 

"No we're not doing this," Atlas storms in and grabs hold of me as I square up to Andros. Dawson pushes Andros away but he keeps staring at me as he's held back. 

"Stop fucking fighting when our girl needs us," Atlas berates us. He turns to address me. 

"You don't really believe she's a rat. You are just finding it an easier excuse than the real feelings you have for her. She's not your sister and she has not fallen in love with Dmitri or Dominik. Stop sabotaging it for yourself and, in fact, all of us," Atlas says, his voice menacingly low as he glares at me.

I run my hand through my hair and close my eyes, letting out a sigh as his words sink in. 

He's right. 

"Andros, Hazel saved your sister because that is the amazing person she is. We all know that, even Theo. But we're like brothers. We don't fucking punch each other," he turns his attention to Andros who nods as Dawson lets go of him.