Page 143 of Ominous: Part 1

With a violent twist, a crick in my neck enough to zip bolts of lightning down my spine, I jerk my head free of him. “No.” I nod toward him, still reluctant to let go of my hand. “That’s not how this is going to go.”

“I think I told you it is.” His words are measured, calm and cold. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings.” He doesn’t sound at all like he means it. “I need you to get away from me.” His chest rises and falls steadily, there’s not even a muscle in his jaw clenched.

Maybe it’s what makes me keep pushing. “You’re not shutting me out like this.” I step closer, and he steps back, his spine against the glass door. “You’re going to talk to me and you’re going to tell me—”

Without a word, he grabs my throbbing arm again, higher up over my elbow, dragging me to him, but I clamp my teeth together, refusing to show him how much he hurt me.

“Eden.Get out of my house.”

Shame knots in my stomach. Rejection stings, and right now, it’s over every inch of my skin. I want to say something else. Run my mouth a little more. But the urge to duck and leave and never look back seems stronger.

He releases me and I stumble back even though he doesn’t shove me away. That’s all me.

I’m about to turn and go. I see the actions in my head. Turn around. Go upstairs. Grab my bag. Head out the front door. Hop in my car. Drive home. The sequence of events is in order.

But instead of doing what I should, I spin around to the counter closest Eli, and yank off the first breakable thing I can find. The fucking coffee pot.

I hurl it at him, and he sidesteps it, so it crashes into the door, shattering into pieces, the sharp sound ringing in my ears.

Eli turns to stare at it, slowly, watching the glittering shards litter the floor. The second time today such a mess has graced this house.

My chest is heaving, and I feel a little better, seeing Eli appraise the broken glass.

I back up a step.

Then one more.

And just as I’m really ready to go, my dramatic exit secured, Eli looks at me.

His lip curls, and a second later,he lunges for me.

My heart almost leaps right out of my chest, but before I can move or defend myself, before he even connects with me, hands grab my shoulders and yank me backward, and three bodies meet Eli, shoving him against the wall beside the patio doors.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Dominic’s voice in my ear doesn’t break my eye contact with Eli.

We’re locked on each other even as Janelle, Jasper and Baca all keep Eli pinned to the wall. I see a vein in his neck pulsing, his clavicle straining beneath his skin as he stares at me.

“I had to pick the lock to the garage door,” Dom keeps talking, sounding breathless. “There used to be a spare key under the mat, but some asshole moved it.”

I’m still staring at the asshole. Janelle is nearly as tall as he is, and she looks over her shoulder at me, momentarily obstructing my view. Her eyes are on me. “I think you should go.”

Those words hurt, and I’m not sure why. LikeI’mthe problem here. LikeI’mthe one making Eli intothis.

Dominic drags me backward, grabbing my injured hand so hard a screamfinallyleaves my mouth.

Eli’s eyes widen, a raw vulnerability etched in his face. It catches me off guard, stealing my breath, as if whenIhurt,hehurt. He lunges forward again, nearly throwing all three bodies off of him, Jasper saying his cousin’s name, Baca telling him to chill out.

“Dominic,” Eli says, sounding far calmer than he is. “Let go of her hand or I’ll fucking ruin yours.”

Dom releases me at once, and I snatch my hand toward my body, but I don’t look away from Eli, and he’s doing the same to me, no longer fighting to get free now Dominic isn’t hurting me anymore.

I don’t understand you.I want to scream it at the top of my lungs.

No one does.I swear I see the whisper of just those words in his eyes.

“Let’s go,” Dom says quietly.

“Where’s Luna?” I still hold Eli’s gaze. His lips pull into a smile with my question, and it makes my stomach drop. Shaking my head, I turn away from him, pushing past Dom. “Never mind.” I mutter it under my breath before I head up the stairs, grab my things, and get in my car. Dominic is at my driver’s side door, my window down as I put the Sentra in reverse.