#Chapter 33: The Aftermath
Abby

Karl walks into the kitchen, and I force myself not to look at him as he strides over. I’m almost done

prepping food for the line cooks, and I don’t have time to get into it with him. There’s only so much

stress one person can handle before they go crazy, and I’m reaching my limit.

We’re booked out again, and one of my waiters called in sick, making us even more understaffed than

usual. If not, I probably would have told Karl to just go home. I need to repost my ad sometime soon.

There must be people out there who want to work in the kitchen, even as a dishwasher. I don’t know if I

can keep working with him after everything.

He stops at my station and hovers for a moment. I wait for him to say something, but he doesn’t. I slide

the pile of carrots off the edge of the blade and give him an arch look. “What do you want, Karl?” “Can

we talk for a moment?”

“No. I’m busy.” I don’t have time to deal with Karl and his b ullsh it.

“We can talk here if it’s easier,” he says.

He knows that’s not going to happen. John is standing two feet away, not to mention Daisy and Freddy

chatting in the corner with Jack. The last thing I need is for everyone to find out we used to be married,

or that Karl is an Alpha.

“Fine,” I snap, putting down the knife. “But I don’t have a lot of time.”

He follows me into my office, closing the door behind him. I turn to face him and cross my arms over

my chest. I can’t imagine what he plans to accomplish in the next few minutes. Continuing our

argument from last night isn’t going to get him anywhere.

He must read those thoughts on my face because he puts his hands up. “I don’t want to argue, Abby. I

just want to talk.”“I have nothing to say to you.”

He takes a step forward but stops when I narrow my eyes. “Please, Abby. You have to know I didn’t

mean to hurt you.”

“Well, if you didn’t mean to, then it must be alright.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, looking slightly flustered. It’s probably the first time I’ve seen him

like this, but I’m too angry to care.

“I can’t believe you didn’t even trust me enough to talk to me about it,” I say.

“Abby–”

I cut him off before he can continue. If he’s going to force me to talk, then I might as well get this off my

chest. “I trusted you. I never would have done something like that to you, but you were so quick to

believe it, anyway. How could you?” My voice breaks a little at the end, and I close my mouth before I

trouble. I don’t want him

takes a step closer. “I never

I

visibly winces. “I’m

first time he’s ever really apologized

sorry I ever

forcing himself into my space. I take a step back,

to go. “Don’t

can feel his warm breath on my cheek.

leave me alone, Karl. You’re only

“Abby–”

I mostly say it because of how he reacted last night. I know

But honestly, I’m not sure if it’s really what I want to say. What do I want to say?

is that I’m angry, and hurt, and I feel betrayed and disgusted. Maybe I do hate him,

least a little.

around my arms before I have

in his voice makes my spine straighten. I don’t want it to,

I might hate it, but he’s

meet his piercing gaze. He squeezes my arms, not enough to hurt, but enough to

my attention.

get that you’re angry,” he says. “You can be as mad at

my lips will brush

maybe I wouldn’t mind

you do,”

whatever you want. Be angry for as long as you want. But don’t ever say

and I tense

to move, but something stops me. The sort of something I’ll have to question

squeeze my eyes shut, and a

“Karl, I…”

behind us. Karl pulls away, turning

my cheek and look up

“Yes?” I call.

your fiancé is asking for you,”

one last look, but he can’t seem

a parking space and shuts off his

says, breaking the tense silence. “We should

night.”

not wanting to meet his gaze. Especially not

Karl earlier. “Yeah, we

is even more awkward than the first time

it would snowball into this major thing. Maybe I never should

that’s gone down with Karl, I’m even more certain that Adam is a good

just hope I haven’t

off like that. It was an immature thing to do,” he says. I

I’ve calmed down, I realize maybe I overreacted. I think you just

me.”

him for the first time. He gives me a sideways glance but looks away

red, and he’s tapping his fingers along his leg in a

“Sensitive in what way?”

my ex-girlfriend broke up with me, she told me it was because I was boring in bed. It

like s hit, you know? So, when you asked if we lack passion, it kind of

thought you were about to do the same

going to break up with you,” I say, placing a hand on his

was hurt his feelings. “I wasn’t putting the blame

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