Chapter 93 FOR THE MONEY
MERRIELYNN.
Cormac and I were on the couch watching some random drama.
The room was quiet except for the hum of the TV, and I could hear him crunching on grapes every now and then.
He was stretched out lazily, shirtless, with his bare feet propped up on the coffee table. A bowl of grapes rested on his stomach, and he popped them into his mouth one at a time like he had all the time in the world.
But I wasn’t really paying attention to the show. My eyes kept drifting back to the screen, where the same woman kept appearing—a sick woman with some degenerative disease. Every time I saw her, my stomach twisted, and my mind went back to that day I’d seen Cormac’s mother.
She’d been in a vegetative state, just lying there, like the life had already left her. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and before I knew it, the words slipped out of my mouth.
“How did your mom get sick?” I asked, turning to look at him.
The moment the question left my lips, I saw his shoulders tense, even though his eyes stayed glued to the TV.
The relaxed, lazy air around him vanished in an instant.
“Why are you asking?” he said, his tone flat, almost cold.
I shrugged, trying to act casual. “I’m just curious,” I said, though my voice sounded smaller than I intended.
Cormac didn’t look at me. He popped another grape into his mouth and chewed slowly before finally answering. “Don’t be.”
That was it.
Just two words, but the way he said them felt like a door slamming in my face.
I stared at him for a long moment, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn’t. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe properly.
Finally, I stood up, brushing my hands against my jeans.
“I should go back to my dorm anyway,” I said. My voice was steady, but inside, I felt off-balance, like I’d stepped onto shaky ground.
I could feel Cormac’s eyes on me as I moved around the living room, gathering my things. The air was thick with unspoken words.
“Are you being serious?” he asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence.
I turned to look at him, confused. “What?”
Cormac sat up, placing the bowl of grapes on the table. His gaze was sharp, and I couldn’t tell if he was angry or something else entirely. I didn’t want to stick around to figure it out.
Without answering, I walked toward his bedroom, hoping to put some space between us.
But I wasn’t fast enough. I heard his footsteps behind me, and then he was there, standing in the doorway.
“Is this about a couple of seconds ago?” he asked, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. “Because I didn’t answer your question?”
I rubbed my forehead, trying to find the right words. “No,” I lied. “I just feel like I need to go, that’s all.”
Cormac studied me for what felt like forever. His eyes were unreadable, and it made me even more uneasy. Finally, he said, “Fine.”
He left the room, and I thought that was the end of it. But then he came back, tossing a wad of cash onto the bed.
“For your cab,” he said flatly before walking out.
I stared at the money, my cheeks burning with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
Was this how he saw me? Like some kind of…transaction?
My fingers curled into fists as I grabbed my bag and left. On my way out, I caught a glimpse of him standing on the balcony, his back turned to me.
Well, screw him too.
Getting a cab wasn’t easy. I waited for what felt like forever, and then traffic made the ride even longer.By the time I got back to my dorm, an hour had passed.
I was tired and irritated, just wanting to crash on my bed.
But when I unlocked the door and stepped inside, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
Cormac was sitting on my bed, waiting for me.
I clutched my chest, glaring at him. “You scared me!”
He didn’t smile or tease me like he usually would. His expression was serious, almost…apologetic.
“What took you so long to get here?” he asked.
“There was traffic,” I said, still trying to catch my breath.
I was confused. How was he even here? Why was he here? “How did you even get in? And why are you here?” I demanded, my voice sharp.
Cormac’s tough exterior cracked slightly, and for a moment, I saw something softer beneath it. “I wanted to apologize,” he said. “For the money. For how I acted earlier.”
I blinked at him, caught off guard. Cormac didn’t apologize often, and when he did, it was never like this.
“Well,” I said slowly, not sure how to respond.
He stood up, taking a step closer to me. “Will you come back with me?”
I shook my head. “No. I need some space.”
The room fell silent.
Cormac stared at me like he was trying to figure something out, but I avoided his gaze.
“When are you coming over next?” he asked, his voice low.
I hesitated, looking down at my feet. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe the next time your rut causes you to have an episode.”
His eyes narrowed, and I could see his jaw clench slightly. “Only then?”
I shrugged. “Is there any other reason for me to?”
The silence between us felt heavy, like it was pressing down on me.
“I suppose there isn’t,” he said finally, his tone sharp.
He turned away from me, running a hand through his hair. Then he looked back, his eyes colder than before. “You need to stop prying into my life.”
I felt a flash of anger at his words. “We can pry into each other’s bodies but not minds, right?” I said bitterly.
Cormac’s lips parted like he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
He just stared at me, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes
Regret, maybe?
But I was too tired and too frustrated to care.
I crossed my arms and nodded toward the door. “You know where the door is,” I said.
For a moment, I thought he might argue, but instead, he nodded back.
Without another word, he turned and walked out.