Chapter 29: My love (Claire's POV)

The whole week went by and I observed Leo the entire time. Something about him was off. He was acting weird, he was acting different, he was acting... distant. He'd wake up before me and get out of bed unlike usual, he wouldn't cuddle me at night, he wouldn't spend any time with me and would be out of the house as much as possible. 

I tried everything. I tried talking to him, kissing him into spilling the secret, even seducing that bastard but nothing was working. He still took care of me, kept me safe and comfortable. He even brought my grandmother in for her birthday and organized everything. Even a cake. And he even went to drop her off to keep her safe. She loved him. 

But now he's barely kissing me and I hated it. The last proper conversation I had with him consisted of us confessing our feelings, so what went wrong? 

It was currently the middle of the night and I was sitting on his bed while he brushed his teeth. "I think I'm going to sleep in my own room tonight," I said, scratching Ace and Max who lay on my belly. 

He looked at me through his bathroom mirror. I watched his face carefully for reactions but he wasn't giving anything away. "Okay," he shrugged. 

"Okay," I shrugged, picking up the two babies on me and holding them. "Goodnight then," I said before pulling the door open and going into the room across his. It felt foreign. I hadn't slept here in a long time. More than the two weeks we planned. 

I was so angry at him for the way he was acting and the way he was treating me. It made me feel like he got what he wanted from me and was now just tossing me to the side. And I hated that. So I came up with a plan. 

He's going to tell me what he's feeling and if he doesn't... Then I'll leave. 

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

I glanced at the time and grabbed my backpack. Ace and Max were sleeping in my bed. I left them sleeping. I pulled my shoes on and pulled the bag over my shoulder. I walked to the door and slowly opened it before tiptoeing downstairs. 

I got to the door and glanced around the place. I entered the pin one digit at a time, slowly and softly trying to avoid the inevitable beeps of each number being punched in. I put in the final number, hearing it beep open. 

I grabbed the handle and twisted it, pulling the door open softly. A breeze blew in and I opened it further but before I could step out, someone grabbed my wrist and slammed the door shut. 

He spun me around and slammed me against the door, the backpack digging into me from behind. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice husky and low. Not raspy enough for him to have just woken up. 

Was he awake the whole time? 

"I'm leaving," I said. 

"Are you out of your mind?" he asked. 

"I want to go back home. I can't stay here anymore." 

"Why are you suddenly acting like this? What has gotten into you?" 

I scoffed, "What has gotten into me? What has gotten into you?" I pushed him back. 

It's a good thing Flynn isn't home tonight. 

"What did I do?" he questioned. 

"You know what you're doing, Leo. I want to go home, all right? Just let me leave," I pulled my wrist out of his and turned to the door, punching in the code and opening it, only for him to slam it shut again. 

"I really need to change that code. Claire, what the hell are you doing?" 

"I'm doing what I should have done ages ago. I should have left when you brought me here," I replied through gritted teeth. 

"What?" he asked. 

"I never should have stayed, I never should have done this. Any of this!" 

He stared down at me, fury pooling in his eyes. "What do you mean 'any of this?'" he questioned. 

"You know what I'm talking about," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. 

"No, I don't think I do. Care to enlighten me?" His grip around my wrist tightened threateningly and I loved it. 

"Leo, I want to leave. Just let me go," I huffed, "You can hold me hostage at my house, but I can't stay here anymore." 

"Why?" 

"I can't stay alone with you anymore!" 

"What did I do?!" he yelled. 

"Are you fucking blind?" I pushed him back, "Have you seen the way you've been treating me this whole week? Like shit, Leo! You've been treating me like shit. You took care of me, you kept me safe, you kept me alive, thank you very much. But I don't want your service anymore. I'm through with it," I ranted. 

"You're through with it? I don't think you get that choice, princess," he spat, "I was told to keep you safe which is exactly why I can't let you go." He's starting to sound like the old Leo again. 

"I don't care anymore," I said through gritted teeth, "Maybe I'll go to Theo, at least he acted nice," I scoffed. 

"Claire, shut your fucking mouth." He slammed me against the door one more time, the pain ricocheting through my back but I still didn't stop. 

"Why? Hurt to hear, didn't it? Me saying I'd rather be with Theo than here with you?" I scoffed. 

"Claire, stop talking," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm. 

"Or what?" I asked. 

"Shut up," he said. 

"Leo," I chuckled, shaking my head, "Make me." 

He stared down at me, breathing heavily, anger swirling his eyes as he glared down at me. He shook his head before letting me go and taking a step back. "What the hell is wrong with you, Claire? What are you doing?" 

"I'm asking you to tell me what's wrong with you." That seemed to make him realize what I was referring to. 

"There's nothing wrong with me," he scoffed. 

I now had a point to prove. I stepped forward and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling my lips down to his, and just like every other time this week, once again, he didn't kiss me back. I pulled away, almost laughing. "See! You won't even kiss me back! You know how that makes me feel, Leo?" I scoffed, ignoring the tears stinging my eyes, "It makes me feel worthless." 

He looked up at me emotionlessly. 

"It makes me feel like just another one of your toys. Which I don't understand," I laughed, "Because you didn't even use me for sex, now did you?" 

"I wouldn't do that to you." 

"What would you do to me, Leo? Just play with my feelings? Is that it? Tell me you like me, you're catching feelings, you're falling for me and then just shut me out? Is that it?" I asked. I stepped closer, willing to poke the bear as much as I had to in order to hear it growl. "Did I bore you to death? Is that what it is?" He didn't respond. "Did I not give you enough?" Still nothing. "Or is there just something wrong with me? Because leaving me is what everyone seems to do." 

"There is nothing wrong with you!" he yelled, finally snapping. 

I threw my bag onto the floor beside my feet. "Liar," I shook my head. 

"There is nothing wrong with you, I swear!" he exclaimed. We stared at each other for a moment while I stood there, my arms folded against my chest. 

"Then show me," I whispered. 

He clicked his tongue in frustration and ran his hand through his hair, looking around to avoid my gaze. I stepped closer to him and pulled his face down to look at me. He pushed my hand away once but not the second time. He looked down at me, or well- glared down at me. 

"Show me." 

He sighed, "Don't you understand what I'm trying to do? I'm trying to save you, Claire! I'm worse than Seth when it comes to you." 

"Bullshit," I replied. 

"Claire, I'm falling in love with you! And if someone doesn't stop me, I'll trap you here with me!" 

"Did you stop to ask me what I want?!" I yelled, "Maybe I want to be locked in here with you." 

"Not with me, by me." 

"I don't care!" I snapped. 

"I do," he whispered, "I can't hurt you." 

"This hurts way worse, my love," I scoffed, grabbing my bag and turning to the door. 

"You can't leave," he grabbed my wrist. 

"I can't stay here with you like this either." I gave him a small shrug. 

"Claire-" 

"If you want to love me, Leo," I sighed, "Then love me." He swallowed, looking up at the ceiling. "Please," I whispered. 

When he wasn't reacting, I turned to the door, making up my mind but before I could punch in the code, he yanked me back and smashed his lips on mine. He walked me backward, dominating the kiss until my back hit the door. 

"There. Happy?" 

"Don't kiss me if you don't mean it," I whispered. 

"I'm falling in love with you, Claire. Of course, I mean it," he huffed. 

"There's something you should know," I whispered, handing him my bag. He looked at it in confusion before looking up at me. I cleared my throat, "It's empty." 

He gaped at me. 

"I wasn't gonna leave." 

He threw it on the floor before kissing me again. I could feel his anger through the kiss time. It was hard to miss, especially when he took my bottom lip between his teeth. 

I think I'm in trouble.

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Chapter twenty-nine

She has a weird way to bring him to his knees, I will say. That was low-key smart tho.

next chapter: Tethered