"Sometimes it's easier to pretend that you don't care than to admit it's killing you."
Turning her attention back to the man who stood quietly studying her, she locked her gaze with his.
His clothes bore the marks of the barbarism that she witnessed half an hour ago. "Why?" asked Chloe.
Silence.
Her patience ran thin when she stormed toward him. "What the fuck was that?" Chloe growled, her body trembling with every emotion she refused to process at this moment.
He looked down at her, and she could see his black mask move as his lips twitched.
"What are you, huh?" she snapped. "And, most importantly, who are you?!"
Her anger felt like lava in her veins, actively working to warm the chill that had settled in her bones.
His forest greens watched her in silence, and he shook his head in 'NO'. Chloe was not having any of that. While she knew he didn't respond to her anger, she did not care.
She was confused, scared, angry, attracted, comforted, and traumatized. She did not know where to begin and where to end.
Her questions hung heavy in the air, unanswered.
She could sense his reluctance to reveal himself, to expose whatever truth lay hidden beneath his mask. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he held the key to the chaos that had upended her life.
"Is it because of you that my grandfather is dead?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of accusation and desperation. "Are they after me because of you?"
The man remained silent; his gaze unwavering as her frustration boiled over. She couldn't comprehend why he chose to remain mute, why he hid behind that mask, why he seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"Why won't you speak? What are you afraid of?" Chloe's voice cracked, her finger pressing harder into his chest, seeking some kind of reaction.
His eyes softened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features before he gently grabbed her hand, pulling it away from his chest. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, her heart pounding erratically.
"Why do you hide behind this ridiculous mask?" Chloe demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion.
"Chloe," his deep voice spoke her name and made her even more confused.
The way her name sounded in his mouth, coupled with his slight accent, was intoxicating, her gaze mingled with excitement and longing, in addition to her confusion. She did not know whether to rip his mask off and kiss him or threaten him some more. His dark eyes burned into her own, and she could see the flicker of something similar in his own eyes.
"What?" she growled back, silently challenging him with her honey browns.
The man's grip tightened slightly, his gaze piercing into hers as if searching for something. "It's complicated," he finally murmured, his voice low and gravelly.
Chloe felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "Complicated? That's not an answer!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking with emotion.
Unable to contain her frustration any longer, Chloe lashed out, her hand connecting with his chest in a sharp slap. "Damn it, just tell me the truth!" she cried, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
In a swift motion, the man grabbed her wrists, pinning them against the wall behind her. His sudden movement caught her off guard, her breath hitching in her throat as she stared up at him, her chest heaving with exertion.
"Why do you make me feel like this?" Chloe whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she searched his eyes for answers. "Why do I feel like I'm falling for you, even though I don't even know who you are?"
As she spoke, her voice quivered with a mix of desperation and determination. Her eyes, wide and searching, scanned his face for any hint of the truth. He seemed to retreat into himself, his features becoming guarded as if he were grappling with some internal conflict.
"Look," he began, his voice low but firm, "I understand your curiosity, but there are things beyond your comprehension."
She stepped forward, closing the distance between them despite his attempt to withdraw. Her hand shot out, fingers curling around the fabric of his shirt, anchoring him in place. She could feel the steady thud of his heartbeat beneath her touch, a stark reminder of his humanity despite the enigma surrounding him.
"Why won't you tell me?" she pressed, her voice pleading now, her grip tightening involuntarily.
His grip loosened slightly, his expression unreadable as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Because some things defy explanation," he murmured, his voice sending a shiver down her spine.
Her heart raced at his proximity, but she refused to back down. "But I need an explanation! I know you're not an ordinary human, you're something but not that, and probably because of that, you hide yourself. I just want to know why you saved my life. Why do I feel alive around you? Why do I feel like I'm connected to you somehow, that somehow you- you complete me? Just tell me!"
Her words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. She held her breath, waiting for his response, but he remained silent. With a surge of frustration, she tugged at his shirt once more, desperation etched into her features.
He took a step back, breaking her hold on him, his gaze intense yet inscrutable. "I don't know what you're talking about," he finally said, his voice devoid of emotion as he gently removed her hand from his shirt.
"Stop lying! You have kept yourself hidden in the dark for fucking three months. That night … we had a moment and you ... you just took off. But I want to know, WHO ARE YOU? And your name is not enough!" she snapped, pressing her finger against his hard chest. She knew she was much shorter than him, but none of that mattered.
His eyes suddenly darkened; his jaw clenched tightly as her words cut through the air like a knife. She could see the tension coiling in his muscles, the conflict waging war within him.
"You think you deserve answers?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You think you're entitled to know everything about me?"
Chloe's heart pounded in her chest as she stared defiantly up at him, refusing to back down. "Yes," she hissed, her voice unwavering. "After everything that's happened, I deserve to know who I'm dealing with. Who I'm risking my life for."
A bitter laugh escaped his lips, his grip on her wrists tightening. "Risking your life? You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," he growled, his breath hot against her face.
"Then tell me," Chloe challenged, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance. "Tell me what I need to know."
But instead of answering, his expression turned cold, his gaze hardening as he pushed her roughly against the wall, his body trapping hers in a cage of steel.
"You want the truth?" he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. "The truth is, you're nothing but a coward who has all the answers under her nose but couldn't just open that goddam fucking journal and read it, instead you'll blabber your mouth like a brat!"
Chloe's breath caught in her throat, her heart hammering wildly as she stared up at him in shock. She had never seen this side of him before, the cruelty in his eyes sending a chill down her spine.
"You- You're a monster," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. "I thought you were my savior, but you're nothing but a monster."
And with those words, she watched as something in him snapped, his grip on her wrists tightening even further as he leaned in close, his face twisted with rage.
He glared down at her, his forest green eyes flecked with gold, his covered face inches away from hers. She glared back, trying to match his intensity.
"You have no idea what you're talking about," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "You have no idea what I've done for you, what I've sacrificed. But if you want to see the monster, sweetheart, I'll show you just how much of a monster I can be."
"Then show me, I know this is not you," she pleaded.
They stared at each other for what felt like minutes, having a silent argument that left neither of them satisfied. He was the first to give in.
He closed his eyes and let out a sharp sigh, whispering, "You know nothing." When he opened his eyes, they were looking away from her.
His grip loosened on her wrists as his hands dropped from the wall and he took a few steps back.
Giving her one last glance, that same flicker in the back of his eyes, before he turned and went out of her room.