She sucked in a big breath before continuing. Your mom is the one who died, Theo! Not you! So why the fuck do you keep acting like you went with her?
Theo couldnt think past the roaring in his ears. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he fought the urge to give her a shake. Hed never hit a woman in his life, and he didnt intend to start, but Josephine Marchande sorely tempted him to.
He growled, an unintelligible sound low in his throat. He had so much to say, to try to make her understand, but the words were stuck in his suddenly dry throat, choking him. He needed an outlet for the rage, the confusion, even the hurt that was storming through him, and Jo was safe. Shed always been safe.
Instead of shaking her stupid, he tugged her against him, crushing her lips against his. She shoved at his shoulder seconds before he felt a hint of the tension leave her body, her lips softening beneath his.
And then a stabbing pain as she sank those razor-sharp little teeth of hers into his lower lip.
Motherfuck He reared back, clapping a hand to his injured lip. It came away bloody, but before he could utter another word, Jo followed the bite with a straight shot to his solar plexus.
His breath escaped his body in one giant cloud. Wheezing, he doubled over, sinking back into his chair, one arm around his stomach, the other pressed to his lip.
What the actual fuck, Jo? If shed wanted to stop him in his tracks, shed done ithe couldnt believe shed hit him. Hed have been proud of her right hook if he didnt think there was a distinct possibility that he was going to vomit all over her bare feet. What was that for?
Are you serious right now? She laughed, but the sound was dry and harsh. I can barely look at you right now, so you sure as fuck dont get to touch me.
What? He tried to focus on her face, but his head was spinning. Jo. What?
She sucked a breath in through her nose before jamming a finger right in front of his face. You dont touch me unless I want to be touched. And you sure as hell dont try to kiss me when youre breaking my heart.
He watched, at a complete loss for words as she stepped back, putting some much-needed space between them. Crossing her arms over her chest, she started to shake, and when she looked back at him, her eyes were shiny and red, though not a single tear actually spilled.
Without another word, she turned and made her way to the door. She didnt slam it, didnt even close itjust left it hanging partway open like a wound that needed stitches but couldnt be closed.
He should call out. Go after her.
He couldnt. Wouldnt.
Shed cut him open, flayed his flesh, and he didnt know how to fix it. Didnt know if he could.
Instead, he sat motionless in his chair until the sun came up, warring with himself. He was furious with Jo, with his dad, with his dead mom, with himself. He was absolutely, utterly incapable of dealing with any of it.
When pale golden light began to filter through the paned glass of his window, he stood. Strode to his closet. Opened the small safe inside it, retrieving his passport, birth certificate and the stacks of cash that he kept just for the hell of it. Pulling a supple, chocolate-brown leather trench coat from his closet, he stuffed the retrieved items into the pockets and threw the coat over his shoulders.
By the time the sun was fully up, shining fat and high in the sky, Theo was gone.