Piercing Hatred | ✔️

40

~Flora's POV~

I crossed my arms as I leaned against the counter in the break room, narrowing my eyes at the back of Knox's head while he sat at the table, eating. It had been two days since Knox had welcomed Gabriela into his home, and I was still unable to come to an agreement with him on the matter.

"Are you really still mad at me?" Knox asked with a sigh, turning to look at me once he could no longer my glare. I nodded, turning away from him to open the microwave and pull out my lunch. "Yes." I answered simply. The sound of his chair scooting back could be heard but I didn't pay it any mind, instead shutting the microwave.

Just a few seconds later, his hands gently rested on my hips and pulled me back into his chest. The sudden closeness had my heart spiking in my chest, and I stopped what I was doing.

"Why?" He muttered. "You said you trust me, so what is there to worry about?" He asked softly, reminding me again why I was angry with him. I turned around and slightly tilted my head back to meet his gaze, scowling. "I've already told you why, Knox. I don't trust her. What kind of ex-girlfriend goes walking around in their exes clothes? Doesn't that seem a little too friendly to you?" I snapped, swatting his hands away from me. A heavy sigh left him, filled with exasperation. "What do you want me to do, Flora?" He asked.

"Tell her to get out." I answered easily. "And you already know that's what I want. You're the only one of us that's making it hard to say what you want here."

Knox sighed and shook his head. "She doesn't have anywhere to go. I can't just kick her out, and I know that you don't want her in my apartment, but I don't trust her enough to leave her in there alone. I'm not staying with her because I want to, doll." He explained, sincerity in his voice and within the softness of his eyes. I pursed my lips, but tried to relax and nodded my head. "Fine." I whispered. "Then I won't say anything about it, but don't expect me to be okay with this." I said, giving in.

I grabbed my food and pushed past him, not paying any mind to the frown on his face. He joined me after I sat at the table, though with a bit of hesitancy when he scooted his chair in. "So...does that mean you aren't mad at me?" He asked after a moment, causing me to glance over at him while I ate.

"No." I answered, frowning. "It just means that I won't mention her anymore unless I need to or try to tell you to kick her out, because clearly there's nothing to be done about it, so I'm not going to try." I told him flatly.

He stared at me as I went back to eating. "You're not being fair to me, Flora." He said softly, his words causing my eyes to widen in disbelief. I set down my spoon and glared at him. "Are you kidding?" I scoffed. "I'm not being fair? You're the one refusing to kick out your ex-girlfriend because, what, you don't want to hurt her feelings? Even when you said yourself that you wouldn't like it if the tables were turned." I couldn't help but to rant at him, feeling a little bit wronged here. How was I the one being unfair?

"But you should trust that I wouldn't even let her close enough for anything to happen, and you don't seem to. I never asked you to trust her. I'm asking you to trust me, doll, and trust that her staying with me isn't a problem." He insisted, however now my issue went even beyond that. "I don't care, Knox." I snapped, frustrated. "If you would have the same issue with the situation if it were me, shouldn't you kick her out for that alone? So how am I unfair?"

"What?" I said when he failed to answer. "You know I'm right. And yet you still can't even do anything." I grunted and stood from my chair with my plate, having lost my appetite. I threw away my food and went to leave, but was stopped by a soft grip on my wrist.

My eyes met Knox's when he spun me around, a guilty look on his face. "Please. I'm sorry." He sighed, peering down at me. "I don't want to fight over this. I'm not opposed to kicking her out because I'm concerned about her feelings, but because she doesn't have anywhere to go. I don't like her, but I don't want to be someone who can't even be considerate to someone in need, even if I do dislike the situation. I'm sure it won't be for very long, either." He explained gently, brushing his fingers against mine as he took my hand in his.

I paused and simply looked at him for a moment, for once trying to put myself in his place. If I were being honest with myself, I wasn't sure that I would've been able to say no either, if I were him.

A sigh left me and I stepped closer, pressing my cheek against his firm chest. He was warm and smelled familiarly of citrus and lavender, making me relax when his arms wrapped around my waist. "I'm sorry, too." I admitted quietly, a little bit embarrassed. "Maybe I got too...wrapped up in my own feelings. I guess I didn't fully think about it from your perspective." I said, leaning into his chest when his hands soothingly rubbed up and down over my back.

"You don't have to be sorry, doll." He murmured. "I suppose I've been unfair in my own way, too."

The edges of my lips tugged up in a small smile as I peered up at him. "We should probably get back to work before we get scolded." I suggested in a whisper, reaching up to brush my fingers through his soft hair. He ducked down and pressed his lips against mine in response, ignoring my words.

Surprised, I tightened my fingers in his hair and returned the kiss, smiling against his lips at the urgency he was kissing me with. Something told me this was his way of showing me that he was sorry, and if he kept on kissing me like this, I wouldn't mind.

However, I eventually was the first to pull away, glancing at the clock on the wall with a sigh. "Another time." I muttered. "That'll have to wait for another time." I told him, knowing we had to get back to work now, regardless of how much I'd have preferred to keep kissing him instead.

He sighed and nodded his head in reluctant agreement, following me out of the break room.