Annalise

Chapter 17: Let Me Go

"Shut up! Ok? Shut up!" He snaps in my face, "Those times meant nothing," he lowered his voice threateningly, his free hand fisting together as I attempted to blink the tears away.

I swallowed tensely, knowing my next few words would strike hot. "Are you trying to hurt everyone that cares for you? First breaking up with Alice and now trying to hand me over to a dangerous individual. You're not like this, Tate, you're not," I affirmed, staring up at him with a look of reluctance.

He can't just be all of a sudden cruel. No way. This isn't the person who was dating Alice.

I assumed he would nod his head and loosen his grip on me, but the opposite occurred. If possible, his hold on me became tighter, an unbearable pain shot from my arm and I knew his nails were leaving a mark. His face morphed into clear, undeniable coldness and despise for my being.

I squealed in pain, the dam in my eyes breaking in half as tears brimmed them.

His voice became rough, "Not like what? Huh! Not like a new gang member for The Imperishables? Not like a cruel and apathetic person? Guess what, you little fucking bitch. People aren't always as they seem! I would know because Alice wasn't. You have no idea what happened between us, you don't even know that it was her who broke up with me!"

Tate took a deep breath in before continuing, "She fucked with me! She's played me," he said, lowering his voice again, "And you want to stand here acting like you don't have the faintest clue why."

He looked at me from top to bottom, raking my body over with disgust. I only squirmed uncomfortably from him, my eyes widened with shock and fear of what he do would next. His impulses were acting on... heartbreak?

"I-I really don't know-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a high-pitched scream met my ears and I turned around, looking down the stairs where the sound was coming from. It was an alert that contained a need for help.

"Someone's in trouble," I whispered, avoiding the brown eyes in front of me as I set my sight to the marble floor, stiffening my movements to make the pain subside.

It didn't help.

"Probably just another dumb girl who came inside the club," he gritted out, with no care or curiosity for the person in trouble.

Then again, I'm also a person who needs help and he doesn't seem so inclined to help me.

"Just check, I won't run away," I promised, looking up at him. "Someone needs help," I reiterated, concern washing over me and flooding away some anxiety.

He didn't bother to respond as he shoved me towards the door at the end of the hall. My returning nerves took a breath of life, shutting my ability to breathe correctly and making my heart thump against my chest vigorously.

I froze up the second the door was in front of my face. Tate raised his fist high and connected it with the double doors, making three taps.

"Come in," a voice that was voided of any emotions answered.

Tate took a fistful of my coat and shoved me into the room as he opened the door, making my feet shuffle forward. My eyes bulged out, taking in the brown wooden desk with paper scattered on top of it. In a black leather chair, sat Ricky. His chair was pushed in, a paper resting in his hand, and in the other one was a glass filled with liquor.