Come Together (The Cityscape 3)

I felt my heart dropping fast and tears stung my eyes.

“What happened with Dani?” he asked.

“She said some things about you and – ”

“Such as?”

In a rush of breath, I said, “She said you’d grow tired of me soon, and then she called Gretchen a slut so I threw my drink in her face.”

He closed his eyes for a long second. “You what?”

“I threw my drink in her face, and I’m not sorry,” I said. “She called me and Gretchen trash and said you were only thinking with your dick.”

“We’re not ready,” David clipped as the waiter approached, his narrowed eyes never leaving me. “Throwing a drink in someone’s face at a bar is a good way to get in trouble.”

I shrugged. “So fucking be it. She deserved it.”

“I don’t care about her,” he intoned. “What if she’d come after you? Or someone else had? Don’t do that shit again, especially if I’m not around.”

My lips pressed together, and I looked away.

He cursed. “Next time you come to me, understand? And what’s this about Brian?”

“We met up with him afterward.”

“Why?”

“He invited you and me out, and since we were . . . Well, I brought the girls instead.”

“I’m supposed to be all right with you two hanging out alone?”

“We weren’t alone. Gretchen and her roommates and Greg were all there.”

“So you won’t mind if I meet up with Gretchen next time you and I are on the outs.”

I bristled instantly. “Obviously I mind.”

He raised his eyebrows at me, his point made. “Look, I don’t want to fight,” he said, and his face softened somewhat. “You look tired. Aren’t you sleeping well?”

I shook my head so hard that my hair threatened to come undone. “No. I have nightmares.”

“Last night?”

I shook my head gentler. “Never when I’m

with you. Only when I’m away.”

He looked at me searchingly. “You got your answer from Dani. So why are you still holding back?”

My gaze dropped to the table.

He put his hand possessively over mine. “Bill thinks you’re making a mistake, but you know that’s not true. You know we aren’t.”

A dull, angry buzzing filled my ears as I stared down. I’m scared. Of your past. Of our future. Of our connection. What happens once you’ve caught me, David?

I’m scared of getting hurt. If I tell you, you’ll say you’d never hurt me, and I’ll believe you. But how can you know? People don’t change just like that.

“Hey,” he called. “Don’t shut me out.”

I pulled my hand out of his and rubbed my temples. “What is that noise?” I asked, looking around.

“Nothing. Look at me. Focus.”

I sighed and looked into eyes that were pleading with me to talk. I was going to tell him that in the end, he would only hurt me, and I didn’t think I could take it. It would turn me into my mother, lost and alone, disillusioned and turned mad by her love for someone . . . what was the word Dani had used? Unattainable?

“Olivia, do you know how it felt to spend those two days with you and then have you ripped out of my hands? I can’t make this better if you won’t talk to me. Remember the bath, baby? You and me? Remember how nice you felt after opening up? Remember – ”

“I told you!” I snapped, clasping my hand over my heart. “I’m empty! I’m black inside! I warned you, David. I can’t give you what you need.”

His fist hit table. “Don’t say that shit to me. That’s an excuse, and you know it. I’ve seen the way you can love me. I feel it in your touch, in the way you give yourself over to me. Just admit that you’re fucking afraid and that I’m not worth taking the risk for.”

“Goddamn it,” I hissed to myself, pressing my palms against my forehead. “What is that buzzing sound? Is that your phone?”

“Yes – ”

“Answer it. It’s driving me crazy.”

“We’re not finished.”

“Just answer it,” I clipped. “Someone obviously needs to get ahold of you.”

He looked at me for a long moment before pulling out his phone from his jacket and holding it to his ear. “Now is not a good – whoa, slow down. What’s wrong?” He paused, and his face fell. “The ER? Why?” My body tensed as he listened. “All right, I’m coming now.” He hung up and motioned to the waiter.

“David, what’s wrong?”

“That was my sister. Alex is in the hospital, emergency appendectomy.”

“Oh, God. Is he all right?”

“I have no idea, I could barely understand her through her crying. I have to get over there.”

“You go ahead. I can finish up here.”