Helanie:
"Excuse me? Is that a threat?" I asked in a low murmur, turning my head back to watch my friends. They were busy celebrating the good news they had received from Gavin and Lucy.
"Why would you think of me as that evil person who only threatens you?" he tilted his head, his giant shoulders looking even more imposing from this angle.
"I’m just warning you. Your decision to stand up for my brother might not have been received well by my mother. So whatever you do, make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble with her," he said, holding the plate out for me, his voice dropping with caution.
"And why would you warn me?" I questioned, genuinely confused.
"Because my brother cares too much about you. It’s not that I don’t hate you--I still do. You’re pretty hateful. However, my hatred shouldn’t be the reason my brother gets hurt. So, whatever your plans are for him--" My heart skipped a beat when he mentioned Kaye and me like that.
What did he mean by that?
Did he know anything about us?
"I have no intentions. He is my trainer and my stepbrother, and that’s all," I lied, hoping to save Kaye from his brother’s wrath for accepting me.
There was definitely something going on between us. But I couldn’t admit it to him, especially when I hadn’t even admitted anything to Kaye yet.
"Okay, I hope you’re not lying this time," Norman said, making me clench my jaw. When had I ever lied to him?
"You know what--" With a huge smile on my lips, I turned to face my classmates. "Sir Norman is so funny. He wants to sing a song for us!"
The minute I announced that, I heard him grind his teeth from behind me. I knew he’d get angry with me, but I didn’t care. He had needled me way too many times, so now it was my turn.
"You will regret messing with me, Helanie," I heard him grunt behind me.
"No! She’s just being funny. Anyway, enjoy your meal, everyone," he said quickly.
He wasted no time grabbing his coat and walking past me, but as he did, he slowed down slightly to whisper, "You’re really getting under my skin, Helanie. You don’t want to know what happens to those who mess with me or my brothers."
With that, he stared at my face. Our eyes connected briefly before I noticed his gaze drop to my lips. It was a quick two-second glance before he looked away and hissed at himself, then sped out of the guesthouse.
"Helanie, come join us," Lucy called out eagerly. She was all over the place, and I didn’t blame her. She was finally happy.
Before I could join them, my phone rang, and I had to step away. Seeing that it was Kaye calling, I felt compelled to check on him. With Norman showing up here and warning me about his mother’s threats, I felt it was necessary to talk to him.
Maybe he was going to tell me the same thing--that his mother was angry with me?
"Hey," I answered, steadily putting the plate down. I remembered the way he had accepted me. After so long, I had found a little happiness in my life.
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