Chapter 42
With a deep breath, she pulled herself out of bed, clutching the white bed sheet to her chest. It fell in loose folds around her, offering some semblance of modesty against the vulnerability of her nakedness. The sheet was a feeble shield, but it was all she had.
As she moved, she could feel Matt’s eyes on her, a mixture of confusion and mounting irritation in his gaze. She bent down slowly, her movements deliberate and painfully aware of the scrutiny she was under. The cool floor against her skin only heightened her sense of exposure. When she retrieved the phone from beneath the bed, the silence in the room was thick, almost suffocating.
Her hands trembled as she handed the phone to him, her eyes lowered to avoid the piercing look she knew would follow. Matt took the phone, his fingers brushing against hers briefly.
There was no hiding anymore, no pretending everything was alright. The truth was laid bare in the cold light of the dimly lit room. Colette’s voice was soft and regretful, like a child caught in a lie. “I switched it off and kept it there,” she admitted, her gaze fixed on the floor. Her face flushed with a mix of shame and sorrow, her words barely more than a whisper.
“Why?” The word escaped Matt’s lips with an almost unbearable weight. It was just one word, but his face told a story far more complex than mere syllables could convey. In his eyes, there was a depth of disbelief, an implicit question that seemed to challenge any conceivable justification for Colette’s actions. He had already condemned her.
Colette met his gaze, her own eyes reflecting the turmoil she felt inside. “Because I wanted tonight to be for us. Just you company, business, and work intruding. For one night, I just wanted you to myself.”
and me,
without
your blasted
The words “And away from Iris!” were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back, unwilling to risk further inflaming his already intense anger. The name of that woman was a curse in itself, and she could see that Matt’s mind was already consumed by her presence. The hurt and rage were visible in his body language, his shoulders rigid, his movements abrupt. He had turned his back on her, and the cold silence between them was as sharp as a blade.
Matt’s face was a mask of fury as he stepped out onto the balcony, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. Colette watched him go, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and resignation. She quickly slipped on a white, flimsy nightgown she had packed, its delicate fabric doing little to shield her from the storm of emotions that raged within. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, eyes squeezed shut as if willing the situation to resolve
itself.
The minutes dragged on, each tick of the clock a painful reminder of the confrontation that was brewing. When Matt finally reentered the room, his anger was palpable. His every movement was charged with a seething intensity. He threw open the wardrobe doors with a force that rattled the room and began to furiously stuff his clothes and belongings into his duffel bag.
“What are you doing?” Colette’s voice broke through the tension, but it was not a question; it was an exclamation of anguish and confusion. “Matt!”
He didn’t respond, lost in the chaos of his emotions. Colette rushed forward, her heart aching as she reached out to grasp his arm, trying to halt his frantic packing. Her fingers tightened around his wrist, a desperate plea for him to stop, to listen, to understand.
Matt jerked away from her touch, his eyes blazing with an anger that seemed almost primal. The room was filled with the sounds of his hurried movements and her choked sobs, the gulf between them widening with each second that passed.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
