Escalation - Tessa Teevan Page 0,19
place, in this moment of time, nothing else matters. We’re Brie and Rafe. All too soon, we’ll be thrust back into a world full of secrets and lies. For now, we’re soaking in what bit of intimacy and normalcy we can.
The air around us is no longer thick or full of tension. It’s electric. Spellbinding, even. If I could stay in this place and time forever, I probably would. I’m not ready for this to end. I’m not prepared for the bubble to burst.
And then it does in the form of a perky, young nurse. She opens the door, asking if we’re ready to go home.
I give an inadvertent shake of my head.
I’m nowhere near ready for what’s awaiting me outside those hospital doors. Or in his apartment. Or at the agency.
A protest is on the tip of my tongue, but Rafe’s eyes light up, his lips tilt up, and his nostrils flare at the prospect.
“I’ve never been more ready for anything,” he answers, his eyes still gazing into mine.
And in my weakness, I believe every single word.
She let me kiss her.
It was more than I deserved, but it felt like a triumphant victory—even if it was temporary. There’s something to be said for small victories.
Still, I wouldn’t push her. I promised myself I wouldn’t.
But the way she said home… Even if it’s the only one she thinks she has, it’s the only one she’ll ever need.
I just have to convince her of that.
By any means necessary.
I THOUGHT I’D BE relieved when I was discharged, but the truth is, the closer we get to Rafe’s apartment, the more the uneasiness sets in. What am I even doing? Why have I put myself in this situation again? And still, how can I even compare the two?
By the time we’re inside, I’m exhausted from the mental back-and-forth. All I want is a hot shower and a warm bed. It pisses me off that I don’t want to do either alone. I’m annoyed with myself. I’m irritated with Rafe, and the last thing I want to do is deal with any of this. For at least a few hours, I want to pretend that the last day didn’t happen.
Something, however, tells me that’s wishful thinking. An uncomfortable silence descends over us, as if neither of us knows what to say. It was inevitable, but it happened too quickly. The magic and dreaminess of the baby has faded, and it’s time to face the music.
Or I could opt for total avoidance.
Just as I turn to walk towards the guest bedroom, Rafe’s strong hands grip my shoulders and he pushes me towards the kitchen, not stopping until he has me sitting on a stool. I sit, watching as he pulls eggs and vegetables out of the refrigerator. It’s not until he places two plates on the counter that I stand, shaking my head.
“I’m not hungry. I’m going to bed,” I whisper, not looking at him.
“Food first, bed later,” he says, not even bothering to glance up from the eggs he’s now whisking.
“No.”
It’s only one word, but it’s harsh enough to draw his attention. His gaze informs me he’s not pleased and he places a hand on his hips as he uses the other to point a spatula at me. “Brie, you need to eat,” he prompts.
Mild annoyance quickly turns to, what I’m guessing is, hormonic rage at the stern tone of his voice. The exhaustion, exasperation, and the effects of the proverbial tilt-a-whirl that Rafe’s subjected my emotions to finally become just too much to bear, and I just snap. The loose hold on my sanity cracks, and I unleash on him.
“I don’t want to fucking eat!” I shriek, slamming my fist down on the counter. The plates jump, rattling against the granite, but I barely notice the pain in my hand, or the burn in my throat. “You are not my keeper, Rafe Matthews. If I don’t want to eat, I won’t freaking eat. And right now, I do not want to eat,” I seethe through clenched teeth. “And you, of all people, can’t make me.”
I sound like a petulant child, but just as I’m about to take it back, he crosses his arms and has the audacity to glare at me. The expression on his face has my blood boiling. Seriously. Who the hell does he think he is? I’ve already lived with one man who tried to run my life. I’m not doing it again. “No, I’m not, and I don’t plan