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“Are you fucking crazy?” I hissed, slapping his hand away as if came up to hold the side of my face. “My mom is here. What the fuck Elliot? What’s gotten into you?”
I managed to turn around, pried the door open and slipped out into the narrow hall before he could make another move. Fuming, I walked over to the living room where Leo was browsing some of the books that lined our small shelf. Without a word, I started getting the room ready, heading first toward the sofa. With a grunt, I tried tugging out the pullout with little success.
“Fuck,” I muttered, putting my hands on my hips. I was angry. Or stressed. Confused. Couldn’t focus on what was going on right in front of me.
I heard the squeak of the metal parts move, and looked up from the floor to see Leo pulling out the mattress with ease. It bounced to the floor. Next, he reached for the pile of sheets and blankets my mom had set aside on the arm of the sofa, and started making the bed.
“I can’t believe you two are sharing a bed,” I laughed, shaking my head, and moved to help him.
“We aren’t.” Elliot walked into the room, and leaned against the kitchen counter. “No way in hell.”
“Fine by me,” Leo replied, his tone even. “I get the whole bed to myself.”
“Then where are you going to sleep?” I said, shooting Elliot a look. “The floor?”
Elliot raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Isn’t it obvious?
“With you,” he said, and winked. Didn’t even try to keep his voice low. My mom was in the other room, for Christ’s sake.
That was it. I had it with him.
“Can I talk to you?” I said, though it was more of a demand. I walked over to him, grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.
I grabbed my key off the counter just before opening the door, and pulling him out into the hall. Shutting the door behind me, I took in a long, shaking breath. If I wasn’t about to burst into flames, then strangling Elliot with my bare hands was my next course of action if he didn’t fucking cooperate.
Letting out a breath, I faced Elliot, crossing my arms. He still had that stupid grin on his face, as if he was unaware that anything he did was to piss me off. It was like he and Leo had switched personalities.
So much for having mature conversations. At least Leo had some manners.
“Elliot.” My voice sounded bored, I was so done with his shit. “What’s wrong?”
Instead of responding, he stepped toward me, his hands clamping themselves on either side of my hips. Just as he was about to lean in, I pushed him back.
“Fuck, Elliot. If my mom doesn’t kick you out, I will,” I snapped, failing to keep my tone down. “What’s going on? Are you just horny? Is that it? Can’t you go two days without having sex?”
I was whispering the words now, resisting the urge to scream them at him. Elliot had no idea what it was like for me—it was evident now. He could stride into any room, any home, in the fucking world, and act like he owned the place. Well, not my home. I wouldn’t let him.
He was being rude beyond belief.
When he said nothing, I gave up. It was his choice, not mine.
“Go,” I said, pointing down the hall toward the elevator. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Now.”
“What?”
I pushed past him and stepped back into the apartment. Before he had the chance to protest, I had his things thrown out into the hall, and the door halfway shut behind me.
“You only want what you want, when you want it,” I said, my voice trembling as I stared back at him. He was shocked, standing still in front of the door, frozen. “But you don’t give a crap about what other people feel. That’s for sure.”
I closed the door, but as I did, he said something. Part of me wanted to ignore it, ignore him altogether, stand up for myself, for Leo, and turn around.
“Kat,” I heard his voice through the door. “It’s Felix. He’s part of this.”
Narrowing my eyes, I kept my face to the door, but didn’t dare budge.
“He’s the one who’s responsible,” he said, and I could tell he was pressing his own cheek to the door, trying to make every syllable audible. “He fucked my family up. He and his dad—they’re the reason my parents lost all their money.”
“For a good reason, I bet,” I countered. “Your dad’s a jerk at home, Elliot. Can’t imagine he was any better in the real world.”