Glass Breaks Too Easily. (Eyeless Jack x Reader Book 2)

Chapter Thirteen.

"Don't," I hissed through my teeth. I jerked away from her arm before she had even a chance to reach out to touch me, to comfort me.

I didn't need comfort from the same hand that had cupped his face. I didn't need to look into her eyes, the same eyes he had looked into just before he had kissed her.

"You have no right to be angry, Jack."

A snarl ripped through me, body and soul as I whipped around in my spot to face her, the difference between us unmistakable; though nearly any human would be shorter than me, I found myself taking analytical note of it now.

I had no right to be angry. But I was. My blood boiled beneath my skin as I stood only forty feet away from them. I could hear every word, every breath, every skipped heartbeat.

I had no right to be angry. I had no right to be angry? It should have been me. It had always been me. Had distance been enough to completely change her heart? I could hear her heartbeat speed up when she thought of speaking to me, could feel the rush of blood to her face when she would finally gather the courage to do so. She would swallow her anger, her resentment, her love, and turn to me.

"And you have no right to keep denying yourself of what you want. You think I don't know? You think I can't see into your mind? Listen, (Name),"

Words spilled out of my snarled lips before I could make an attempt to stop them. And, honestly, I wasn't going to try. I had been too emotionless around her, had been too careful. 

It wasn't that what I had said those years ago had made her leave me, it's what I didn't say that had all but forced her to.

Her face contorted as I spoke into frustration, resentment, anger; the only thing I found myself really paying attention to was the smallest flicker of hope hiding in her hardened stare.

"You're the one who fucking left her in pieces to fucking begin with!"

Toby's voice rang out, reverberating from the trees, forcing the still darkness of the night to come to life. Electricity pulsed in the air; I knew if he didn't stop talking on his own volition that I would force him to.

"Make him leave."

My voice had taken it's natural demonic undertone, and from the look on (Name)'s face, I knew I wasn't the only one who had noticed. Maybe she didn't remember when we had first met, how I had sounded. Back then, I wasn't trying to be appealing to anyone, much less her. The thought brought me both solace and desperation; for her sake, I found myself wishing that the memory of our first encounter was erased, but for my own comfort, I hoped she didn't.

(Name) pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers and let out an exasperated sigh before she turned to deal with Toby who had been quickly approaching behind her. She turned just in time to practically bump into him, chest-to-chest. My nostrils flared as I heard the contact, my hands once idle by my side now in a readying stance, fingers fanned.

I had never expected myself to have such a visceral reaction to something like this. Part of me had wondered if it were possible that (Name) had ended up being with a different associate of The Operation, after all, I hadn't contacted her since the very day I had left. Another part of me, though a very slim part, hoped she had successfully ran away from it all and had found a nice, normal man to settle down with. But she had told me years ago that she had had enough of the running, she craved stability. I suppose if she was craving stability, she'd dig through all of the insanity to find it, to satisfy it.

"This is ridiculous," (Name) sighed again and pushed both of her hands against Toby's chest to push him backward, though his fiery eyes stayed focused on me.

"You protecting him is what's ridiculous, (Name)! Are you joking? All the fucked-up shit he put you through, and you wanna let him talk?"

(Name) seemed to consider this for only a brief, brief moment before she nodded just slightly.

"Yeah, I am going to let him talk. If that's what it fucking takes to calm this situation down, then that's what it takes! I'm not going to have you two kill each other before the clown even gets the chance to fucking try!"

Silence fell between all of us; a very uncomfortable silence. She was right; there would be no possibility of 'teamwork' if some sort of agreement couldn't be reached. The only thing I felt obligated to agree to was the death of Toby, but I knew that, more than likely, I'd have to compromise.

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Don't you dare come fucking crying to me when your little boyfriend hurts you again. Don't you even fucking dare.

Toby's booming voice cracked against the walls of my skull; it did nothing to ease the shaky combination of frustration and annoyance already brewing within me.

I won't.

I knew saying that, even mentally, to Toby would be cause for him to go into a complete meltdown, whether it would be a sooner type of thing or later is what I didn't know. And, for the moment, I was okay with that.

There had to be some sort of understanding on his part. There had to be. He wouldn't have become so angry so instantly if there wasn't understanding behind his anger.

Talking to Jack didn't mean I was in love with him; thinking about how his lips felt against mine all those years ago while I was kissing Toby meant I was in love with him.

Toby's face looked completely devastated; I hadn't realized I had let control over my thoughts slip, and in the second that it did slip, he read it. He saw it play out, and then he saw Jack lingering behind us, looking infuriated at what was happening.

It was true that he had no right to be angry, not after he had left me in the state that he had. But I also had no right to think of him while I was with someone else.

From the onslaught of insults and curses spewing from Toby's mind into my own, only one stuck with me.

He should have killed you and stole your damn laptop when he got the chance.

I let out a heavy, heavy sigh, and nodded slightly. At least I could agree with something.

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Not very long, I know, But I'm trying! I'm hoping I'll be able tog et another chapter or two out tomorrow, but I'm not sure yet. It's been rough, but every day gets better! 

If you're going to Meatball, do it Extravagantly! And don't forget the sprinkle parmesan cheese!