Tempting Darkness [17+] ✔

Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

       "Where have you been?" The eerie calm in Adriel's voice as I burst through the front door was nearly as terrifying as that freak knowing about the man in my dreams.

       "I'm sorry." My breath was still coming out in short pants as the fear from before spread panic through my veins.

       "You're sorry? Do you have any idea what time it is? You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

       Adriel was pissed. I could see it in the way he stood at the bottom of the stairs, his body nonchalantly resting against the banister, strong arms crossed over his chest. It was the ice in his eyes that had me hesitate against the door. No matter how badly I annoyed him, he's never given me that look before.

       "I got caught up at school. I'm sorry." I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't think telling him I went to see a 'psychic' was a good idea either.

       "Your last class was at two, Larkin. I needed you to be here for Raffie." His words cut through me as I tossed my keys onto the bureau and kicked off my shoes. "How am I supposed to trust you when you can't do the one thing I ask?"

       "One thing? Adriel, you ask me to do shit all the time, and I always do it!"

       "Asking you to stop cussing around my sister and clean up after yourself is common sense. I needed you to be here today. I trusted the fact that you would be." He pushed away from the staircase, fury replacing that icy indifference as he stepped towards me. "So, what am I supposed to do when the sitter calls me, freaking out, because she has to be at her band concert, and you're not answering your phone?"

       "I—I...." I was at a loss for words. I didn't realize what the time was when I left. I thought only minutes had passed, not an hour. But I knew he had every right to be mad, I let both him and Rafael down. That was the last thing I ever wanted to do.

       "I had to leave work early so Angie could go. I'm the boss. I shouldn't be leaving early because you're an immature teenager who can't handle any fucking responsibility!" His words ripped through me like the jagged edge of a knife. I had to take a shaky step away. I've never seen him that mad before, at anything. A clenched jaw and a few had words were one thing, but yelling... I've never heard him yell before, especially not at me.

       "I'm not immature—"

       "Then stop acting like it."

       I pressed my back flush against the front door in some kind of form of stability. I had no idea why he was this upset. He's never been this upset when I missed plans before. "I'm sorry—"

       Adriel cut me off with a scoff and tore a hand aggressively through his dark hair. "Do you have any fucking idea how worried I was? You weren't answering your phone, I had no idea where the hell you were, and I thought— I thought...." His voice trailed off, but the tension in his shoulders didn't seem to subside.

       "I never meant to worry you. I thought I had more time." Which was such a pathetic excuse, and I knew it was too, but there was nothing else I could offer him. I could see images flash through my mind at his words, images of a twisted bent over car and a decrepit bus stop. This went beyond my being late. He had been worried about me.