Ch32

NOVA

I stare down at the heavy blue cover in my hands, the cold cardboard pressing through my shirt. My head is spinning, but I force a bitter breath out of my nose.

"You're overthinking this, Nova," I whisper under my breath, shaking my head as if to dislodge Caleb’s voice from my brain. "He probably just dropped it. Or he was carrying too many things. He doesn't give a shit about you. He hates you."

"Overthinking what?"

The deep voice cuts through the stillness of the kitchen.

My heart leaps into my throat, my eyes locking on the floor for a second before I slowly look up.

Enzo is leaning against the kitchen doorway, his massive frame blocking the entrance. His arms are crossed over his chest, his eyes fixed on me.

I stare at him, not blinking, not moving. I just hold his gaze.

"What?" Enzo asks softly, tilting his head.

"You threw my book," I say. "You threw it right next to the trash."

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did!" I lift the heavy textbook, pointing to where it had been lying on the linoleum. "Which means you didn't actually need it. You just came upstairs under the pretext that you did."

Enzo’s face doesn't shift. There's not even a twitch. He just looks at the dark window behind me, then back to my face.

"Is he gone?" he asks.

I swallow hard, frustration rising in my chest. "Enzo, that's not what I asked! That's not what I said!"

He finally moves, taking a slow step into the kitchen. "And I asked if the jackass is gone."

"Yes! He's gone!" I yell, though I quickly drop my voice, darting a nervous glance toward the hallway leading to the living room. "He went out the back door. But stop dodging the question!"

Enzo stops a few feet away from me. He looks down at the blue textbook in my hands, then up into my eyes.

"You can seriously be asking me that question right now?" he asks. "After everything you've done?"

My jaw tightens. A sting flares behind my eyes, but I refuse to let him turn this around on me.

I turn around and slam the heavy textbook onto the granite counter behind me. I square my shoulders and turn back to face him, glaring up into his cold face.

"Don't bring that into this!" I snap. "Don't you dare bring that up right now! This is my textbook, Enzo! It's expensive, I need it for class, and I can't just get a new one that easily! You carried it all the way down the stairs just to throw it on the floor like it was trash!"

Enzo just shrugs, a nonchalant, infuriating lift of one broad shoulder.

"Accidents happen," he says.

"It wasn't an accident!" I step closer to him, my fists clenching at my sides. "You didn't come into my room because you needed to borrow my textbook, did you?"

He stares down at me, the silence stretching between us so long.

"No," Enzo says flatly. "I didn't."

"Then why did you come up there, Enzo? Why did you open my door?"

"I thought you were fucking Caleb."

I shudder. My forehead creases into a deep frown as I glare at him.

"There," Enzo sneers. "You wanted the truth, Nova? You heard it."

"Why does it even matter to you?!" I shout softly, as I gesticulate between us. "What does it matter to you if I fuck him?!"

"Because if you're gonna be a whore," he growls coldly, "then do it elsewhere. Not in this house. Not under your parent's roof, and certainly not while I'm here."

I wince. A burning heat rushes to my cheeks, but I force myself to stand my ground. I swallow down the humiliation, nodding slowly as I digest the venom in his voice.

"Right," I whisper. "Right. Of course."

I take a breath, looking up at him through my lashes. "Caleb said you were jealous."

Enzo pauses. Then, a sudden laugh erupts from his chest.

"What's so funny?" I demand, my cheeks burning hotter.

"You think I'm jealous?" Enzo asks, leaning down slightly so his face is inches from mine, his eyes gleaming. "You actually standing there, looking at me, thinking I'm jealous of you and Caleb?"

"I don't know what to think!" I shove at his chest, though he doesn't budge an inch. "You're acting crazy! You barged into my room, you threatened to tell Noah, you threw my book on the floor... I don't know what to think with you anymore!"

"Then let me make it painfully simple for you," Enzo whispers. "Just think that I hate your guts. Think that I despise the ground you walk on, and that I'm only tolerating your presence because I don't have a damn choice."

I stare at him, my heart breaking in quiet, jagged pieces inside my chest. I swallow hard, fighting back the sting of tears, and nod.

"Okay," I whisper softly. "Okay."

Enzo doesn't move away. He stays hovering over me, his gaze scanning my face, tracing the curve of my forehead, my nose, and finally settling on my mouth.

"Did you two kiss?" Enzo asks suddenly.

The question hangs in the air, unanswered.

I blink, caught completely off guard. "What?"

"You heard me," Enzo says, his eyes dropping to my lips again before snapping back up to meet my gaze. "Did you two kiss in that wardrobe?"

I grip the edge of the granite counter behind me, my knuckles turning white. "He... he tried to."

Enzo’s eyes narrow into slits. "And did you kiss him?"

I look up at him. "Yes..." I whisper.