Chapter 13: Between Fire and Ice
"What's going on?" Mateo asked with a frown plastered on his face.
For a heartbeat, I couldn't move due to the shock. My hand was still caught in Alexander's, his fingers wrapped firm around my wrist as though he was still dragging me out of the interrogation room. His grip wasn't painful, if at all, it was like he treated me with care which was very much unlike him but my inner romantic self shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be focused on why his grip wasn't tight instead I should be focused on what was happening right in front of me.
I yanked my hand back as if I was suddenly burned, but the damage had already been done. Mateo's eyes were focused on the place where our hands had been joined, and something dark flickered across his face. Jealousy. Hurt. Anger. All three swirled together like a storm behind his usually calm expression.
"I..." I started, but the words got lodged in my throat.
Alexander smirked, the same infuriating curve of lips he'd worn inside when he called out the detective. But his eyes weren't mocking now; they were sharp, assessing, as if already measuring Mateo's reaction and deciding how far to push.
"I'm taking her away from the detective. Can't you see that?" Alexander asked Mateo mockingly.
Mateo stared at him with wide eyes. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you insane?"
"Everyone says I am." Alexander replied to him.
Mateo ignored him though, going on his rant. "You're dragging her out of there like that?" Mateo said, his voice lower now, but no less dangerous. "What the hell were you thinking?"
Alexander's smile thinned. "I was thinking that perhaps it was better to leave that toxic place with a lazy detective, who was willing to put all the blame on someone who isn't a suspect than sit there inside with your girlfriend while you were sitting out here twiddling your thumbs."
Mateo's jaw worked as he took a step closer. "Excuse me?"
Alexander tilted his head, his blond hair falling into his eyes. "You heard me. Or do you suddenly have an ear problem? He was trying to pin the whole thing on her, and you..." he gestured vaguely at Mateo "...were out here. Waiting. Hoping someone else would fight her battles for her, maybe?"
"That's not what's happening," Mateo shot back. His tone was measured but tight, like a string pulled to breaking. "I'm trying to keep things from getting worse."
"And you're doing a stellar job," Alexander said, slow and cutting. "She only almost got accused of murder in there. But hey, at least you stayed calm, right? Until proven otherwise she's still a suspect with a cop that's also a suspect right?"
The corridor was silent except for the low murmur of passing staff somewhere down the hall. This corridor was devoid of students and thank God for that because I couldn't imagine the gossip that would be swirling around right now but that did little go appease the fear and nervousness I felt.
"Stop it," I hissed, stepping between them. "Both of you."
They ignored me.
Mateo's eyes flicked to mine for a heartbeat, softening, then hardened again as he focused on Alexander. "You think you're her savior? You think she needs you to swoop in every time something goes wrong?"
Alexander's smile was a blade. "No. But I know she doesn't need a boyfriend who sits on his hands while she's being cornered."
"That's enough," I snapped, louder this time. My voice echoed off the walls, but neither boy backed down.
Inside my chest, my heart slammed. I could feel the weight of the interrogation room still clinging to me, the detective's cold eyes, the way he'd twisted my words until I felt like a criminal. And then Alexander, standing up, exploding, yanking me out of there like some avenging demon because there was no way this boy could be an angel, with a cigarette tucked behind his ear.
I had felt relief then but now, I felt anger. It was like I didn't exist and the fact that Mateo was focusing all his attention on Alexander and not me was even more annoying.
"Mateo," I said, trying again, softer this time. "It's not what you think..."
"No," he shook his head at me. "It's what I think. I'm sure of it. You want him to play bodyguard? Then go to him since he can protect you more than I can."
"Mad at the fact that you can't do a simple job of protecting your girlfriend?" Alexander scoffed. "Pathetic."
I was done with this show of irrelevant overflowing testosterone.
"Both of you need to shut up and listen to me. I don't need your fucking protection. I can protect myself." I told them firmly.
"Yeah? Then tell me how a dead body ended in your room if you can protect yourself so much. Why didn't you protect yourself from that occuring?"
I blinked in shock. And blinked again because I was surprised. I expected this kind of statement from Alexander not the person I was in love with. Someone who I had thought was my anchor.
"What the fuck?" Alexander growled then turned to me. "This is your partner? Your boyfriend?" He shook his head.
"Pathetic." He muttered.
"Mateo?" I called out, my voice tinier than I intended.
But his gaze wasn't on me but in Alexander.
"You know nothing about me." He growled at Alexander.
Alexander looked at me then back at Mateo. "I know enough. For someone who claims to be her lover, you are doing an awful bad job at it. Makes me wonder if you deserve her at all."
"Mateo?" I called out again.
"What?" He barked out but his gaze was finally on me.
"Isa..." He began but I wasn't having any of it. I walked out.