Chapter 119
~ HENRY
I watched Nyssa through the cameras in the basement.
She walked around the room, lifting tarps and looking into corners as if searching for something. She’d changed into the clothes I left for her but left her hair damp and dripping onto the floor.
She was breathtaking, even when she wasn’t trying.
With a shaky fingers, I reached out to trace her features on the screen. She wasn’t crying anymore, that was good, but I couldn’t shake the sight of her tears from my mind. I should have known that Rowan had something on her. I was so blinded by my anger that I didn’t stop to think about it.
How could I have ever imagined that someone as good as Nyssa would fall for someone as horrible as him?
“This is the second time you have not believed her,” my wolf snapped in my mind, his anger barely contained. “One day you’re going to push her away forever p>
“I won’t,” I said firmly. “I believe her now p>
He snorted. “After Rowan already got to hurt her p>
“I’m here to change things p>
“And yet you’re in here while she is down there alone p>
I glanced back at the view before cursing and rising to my feet.
I grabbed a bag of Nyssa’s favorite chips from the kitchen cupboard before heading down into the basement.
By the time I opened the door, she was back on the bed, her legs crossed underneath her as she watched me warily.
“I brought you something.” I stopped in front of her, brandishing the bag with a smile. “It’s your favorite p>
She frowned. “It’s your favorite, Henry, not mine p>
I stared at the bag then back at her, my brows knitted in confusion. “It’s our favorite, we used to eat it together p>
“No, I ate it because you wouldn’t keep anything else in your cupboard. I never liked it much. I only ate it because of you.” She sounded exhausted, as if she’d explained the thing to me multiple times. “It doesn’t matter, just… thank you p>
She snatched the bag out of my hands and tore into it, throwing a piece into her mouth. She chewed almost dutifully, her eyes carefully blank as she stared at the wall behind me.
A gnawing feeling bit at my chest, wrapping around my lungs until I could barely breathe. She didn’t seem happy… not by a long shot, and that was the direct opposite of what I wanted.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, squatting until we were at eye level. “I’ll get you another one, just tell me what you want p>
“I want to get out of here, Henry p>
I stepped back instantly, snatching my hands back to my side. I rose to my feet, staring down at her with narrowed eyes. “Are you kidding me p>
I scoffed as I took her in.
Had she been playing me the whole time just to get back with Rowan? Did she truly think I was so stupid that I would allow myself to be deceived so easily?
She knew I cared for her and she had used that to her advantage. It seemed I had underestimated her. She was more manipulative than I gave her credit for,
“Fucking unbelievable,” I spat, turning on my heels.
I barely made it two steps when she rushed over to me, grabbing my bicep in a firm grip. She looked confused, her brows knitted together as she roamed her eyes over me. “Where the hell are you going? You can’t just walk away from a conversation. You didn’t even let me finish p>
“I don’t care to know what else you have to say. I’m not releasing you so you can go back to him,” I sneered, snatching my hand out of her grip. “You’ve spent so much time with him that you are turning into him p>
She stepped back, flinching as if she’d been slapped. “You can’t be serious p>
“I don’t know what you think you are playing at, but I am not your pawn p>
Her eyes widened in surprise. “I’m not playing at anything, Henry. I was just p>
“You were trying to use me,” I hissed, taking a step closer to her.
As I did, she took one back almost subconsciously and I scoffed. “You lied to me p>
“I did not p>
“All those things about Rowan p>
She swallowed thickly. “All true, I swear it. I don’t want to go back to him, Henry, but I also cannot stay locked up here forever. I need to go out p>
“I don’t believe you p>
She threw her hands up into the air in defeat. “What can I do to make you believe me p>
“Prove it p>
Her back hit one of the wooden pillars and she looked around, eyes scanning the room for an exit route. I stepped into her space, hands bracing on either side of the pillar by her head.
I could feel her soft breath on my arms, could hear the rapid pounding of her heart in her chest as she stared up at me. Her eyes were wide and skeptical as she roamed over my face, then the space between us.
The nervousness was palpable, but I didn’t let up, I leaned forward until our faces were mere inches apart. I waited for her to recoil or pull away, anything to let me know that this had all been a game to her but she remained stoic, eyes locked on mine.
“Kiss me,” I told her softly. “If you want me to believe that you don’t want him anymore, then kiss me p>
Her eyes widened in shock, her lips parting as a small gasp escaped her. A long minute passed by with her glancing at my eyes, then down at my lips.
“I… Henry p>
“What’s wrong?” I asked, head cocked to the side. “You can’t do it, can you? You know your problem, Nyssa? You’ve always been a shit liar because you can never back it up with p>
My words died on my throat because she reached for my shirt, hands balling into fists around my collar as she tugged me towards her, slamming her lips onto mine.