Silent Screams (Hollow #1)

CHAPTER 32

Damon skips work on Wednesday. I’m a tad bit worried—it’s not like him to do so. I thought of skipping, too, but I needed the distraction. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to come in and see him.

See if he made a mistake.

If his words from last night were a result of his drunkenness.

My mind is also on Harvey, on picturing him walk in his room. On picturing him walking in the woods with me—with or without braces. On going out for dinner dates without the whole town staring at him in pity.

I hope for Harv that he’ll soon reap the rewards of his determination.

I check Damon’s inbox; he sent a few emails. We have a conference and meetings to attend in New York next week, and I wonder how that’s going to pan out.

His absence this morning doesn’t settle the nerves ziplining inside my stomach. Instead, they multiply.

My phone rings.

“Good morning, Gemma Ackerman speaking.”

One word. “Hey. ”

I can hear the pain, the hesitation, the confusion in his voice. This man doesn’t know what he wants. He keeps pushing me away because together we’re fire, burning in heat, and some people prefer cold ice—mundane and predictable.

I used to too.

God, what I would’ve done months ago to be able to fix things with Harvey. Could I love him as much as I think I do if in the span of a few months I fell stupidly for Damon?

“Hey.” I clear my throat.

“I’m on my way.”

He must’ve overslept. Overdrinking will do that to you.

“I’ll see you soon, sir.”

“Gemma.” He breaths heavily into the phone, a warning in his voice.

I want to tell him not to Gemma me. This is what he wanted. If he changed his mind, he’s going to have to apologize.

A foreign concept for him, I’m sure.

I hang up on him and do a few more tasks. I dare him to get mad at me. He never says bye on the phone; I don’t even want to think of the amount of people he hangs up on every day.

When he comes in less than half an hour later, the man who captured my heart gives me a curt nod and walks to his office, closing the door behind him, insomnia written all over his face.

He’s back to being an asshole. All day it’s fax this, fetch me a package a block away, you missed a comma on page three of your brief report.

Funny enough, he used to be worse. But my shattered heart can’t handle being kicked all over while I’m crawling.

I want to shout at him. If anything felt good yesterday, it was pouring out my feelings, telling him exactly what I thought of him.

Not that it mattered. He was bound to leave, warning me since the day we laid eyes on each other. I was too busy falling for him to really let his words sink in .

I’m stuck making photocopies for the rest of the afternoon. Thoughts are swirling, passing through my mind, debating which organ of mine I should follow. My heart? My mind? Definitely not my sex.

My phone vibrates on the countertop in the copy room. It’s Harvey. I hold my breath, staring at his text message for at least a minute.

Harvey: Come home. Please.

He kissed Claire. Damon fucked me.

We shouldn’t be together. I want Damon. Harvey wants Claire. Talking with Harv will prolong the inevitable. I can’t forget how he acted for years with me. How he looked like he simply tolerated me.

I mail out a package, then drop the extra copies on Damon’s desk. It lands with a loud thud.

“Anything I can help you with, Ms. Ackerman?”

The screaming lady is back at it. She really hates Damon sometimes.

We’re back to Ms. Ackerman. I know I tested him on the phone earlier with my sir but that’s because he’s the one who ruined us.

“Damon...” Even I can hear the slight plea accompanied by a little tremble in my voice. He looks up, the muscle in his jaw tightening as he scans my face.

He doesn’t want you, Gemma. Let him go.

“I’m heading home for the night. Is that all?” I send a million prayers to whomever is listening that he does something—anything. That he tells me how stupid he acted last night.

“That’s all.” He continues to type on his laptop, and my heart explodes. I don’t even want to think of the damage this will do to the rest of my body.

Oh, Damon. You warned me you’d crush my heart.