Christmas with My Enemy (Feuding Hearts Christmas)

Chapter 11

eleven

TATI

Beast called two minutes ago, asking that I prepare our things because we're heading to another hideout.

If I have to run to the end of the world, I’ll do it as far as I won’t return to my father’s house or see that son of a bitch, Stacks.

I walk to the living room with a traveling bag in my hands and drop it on the couch next to the one Pop brought.

Beast has bought me more clothes than I needed over the past few days. And I love them all because it's a sign that he thinks about me often. His gifts are always well thought out. I love an intentional man!

I fold the clothes and arrange them in the traveling bag one after the other, wondering what Mom must be thinking of me. I shake my head in sadness. She has neither confronted my father nor questioned his actions for once. And I wonder if she knows he's wrong but chose to keep quiet because of fear. I open Beast's bag, arranging his clothes in the box.

He packs light. It's amazing how a man goes to the clothes shop, buys for his woman, and forgets to buy for. . . My eyes dart to a picture in his bag, and the person in the photograph is Nate.

With creased brows, I reach for it. What's the connection?

“Nate?” My mouth falls open, and I shuffle two steps back.

"No, this is impossible!"

To be sure my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, or the incandescent light isn't bright enough, I make my way to the door and step outside, strolling to the snowy field. I'm now gazing at the picture under the white sky, and nothing has changed.

It's Nate, all right. And there's an X mark drawn across his face. Flakes of snow fall on his image, and I brush them off.

What the hell’s going on?

In my confused state, I flip to the back; to my surprise, it's not plain.

"Mission done" is written in cursive. For a moment, my breath is suspended. My lips part, releasing a gasp.

“What the hell, I've been fucking my brother's killer."

The realization makes my stomach heavy like I've swallowed a piece of rock.

A sudden coldness hit me from within, and I don't know if it's due to the weather, or the fact that I've been living with my brother's killer.

"Fuck!" I let out a shriek, scaring away the birds on the trees standing on both sides of the cabin. Warm tears roll down my face, and my knees drop to the frozen ground, sinking into the snow.

"You will rot in hell, you son of a bitch." My voice breaks as I speak. I detest myself for crossing paths with him.

God! I can't control bolts of pain shooting through my body right now. I've betrayed my family. Maybe Father is right, after all.

Why are you still here?

That question pops up in my mind. I've made mistakes, and my tears couldn't undo them. Without thinking, I spring up and march into the cabin. I swipe off my tears with the back of my hand.

I can cope as a homeless person but living under the same roof with a murderer is something I can't put up with.

With lunatic rage, I unpack his cloth from the bag, leaving only mine. As my rage increases, so do my tears. I grab the bag and dash out of the room.

Flakes of snow spray my boots as I hurry down the road. I continue to walk down a narrow path, thinking about my mistake. The reason my father chose a partner for me is now pretty glaring. He knew I couldn't do it myself. And I agree with him now because I'm not even capable of making a good decision.

How could I jump into someone's crib just because I knew him from ChatterSpot?

I shake my head in self-pity, strolling along the road. My eyes settle on the snow-covered shrubs on both sides of the road. I think I'll freeze to death if I don't find a hideout soon.

Damn, now I see why he brought me to this deserted place. Maybe he wants to take my life after he's done with me.

After walking for half an hour, I see a gas station across the road. I'm about to cross over to relax my frozen legs, but a car double-crosses me.

Fuck! I was thinking I'll get away without running into him.

"Tati? Where the hell are you going?" His brows furrow, and the face that used to make me smile now makes me sick.

Bile grows in my throat, and I can't find the right word to express my rage, so I spin in the other direction walking as fast as I can. The car door slams and that scares me. I know he's not turning back. He wants to chase me.

"Baby, what's going on? Been looking everywhere for you," he yells while running after me.

The sound of his voice irks me to the core. In my ears, it's the roar of a wild beast stalking its prey. My footsteps halt when Beast gets in my way.

"What's going on? Where are you mad at me?" He spreads his hands in the air.

"Get out of my sight." My voice comes off as a violent roar. Goodness me, I sound like another wild animal now.

"I'm not leaving you. For fuck's sake, it's freaking cold out here. Look, we can discuss whatever's getting you angry, but not here."

I shake my head with all my strength. "I'm not going back to that house with you."

"Why? What did I do wrong?"

"Ask yourself, you pretentious motherfucker. And it's over between us. I don't ever want to see you again." I yell and try to walk past him, but he stands in my way.

This time, I don't stop. I turn back in another direction, not minding where the destination leads. All that matters is getting this monster out of my sight. But none of that is possible because he grabs me from behind and doesn't let go.

"I'm sure there's a misunderstanding somewhere. Please, let's talk this out. And you're going to freeze to death out here. Okay, I ain't gonna watch you die."

Those hands transmit fire— not pleasurable fire this time— all over my body, causing me to wriggle in his grip. I've never been a violent person, but if I get my hands on a gun right now, I'll take him down. That's how much I hate him.

"Get your fucking hands off me. I'd rather die than have anything to do with you. Did you think I'll never find out who murdered my brother?"

I scream as he lifts and balances me on his muscular shoulder.

"Let go off me, you son of a bitch."

With mad rage, I smack my fists into his back, but he continues to walk to his car like I'm a feather. He opens the door and puts me in the back seat.

Intense anger, laced with fright, permeates my body, and I burst with another yell.

Why won't anybody come to my rescue?

Beast rushes to the driver's seat and starts the car's engine.

Within two minutes, we're back at the cabin. He opens the door, gazing at me. "Please come inside." Even though he speaks with a low tone, his voice still irritates me.

I fold my hands across my chest and shoot him a dark look. "Go fuck yourself!"

He looks around in frustration, and in a blink, I'm on his shoulder again.

"You're going to regret this for the rest of your life, you murderer."

"I'm lost, but I know we can talk this out."

He opens the bedroom door and stomps inside. Before he lays me on the bed, I snatch myself from his grip.

"We'll talk when you're calm."

"Fuck you!" I scream at his departing back before the door slams shut.

Enraged, I grab the pillow and throw it at the door.

Hell, he's just like my father. Worse than my father.

Just when I thought I was free, I was back to being a prisoner.

Realizing that makes me feel an adrenaline rush. "You're worse than my father." I bark at the door, hoping he hears me.

"You're screwed, Tati." I bury my face buried in my palm, sobbing.