Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 467

"I told you I was going to wait and eat Tasha's food."

"That was not a request." He picked up his fork. "Do not go against my mood tonight, Scarlett. Eat."

"I am not hungry."

"You will eat." He said it without raising his voice, the way he said everything, and somehow that made it worse. "I know the type of food you like. I ordered this for a reason. If there is so much as a grain left on that plate, we are going to have a problem. And I am sure you do not want us to have a problem."

I glared at him. He looked back, patient and immovable, a man who had never lost a staring contest in his life. I picked up my fork.

The food was better than I wanted it to be. I had been certain I would be too worried about Tasha to enjoy a single bite, but by the time I looked down, my plate was empty and I had to fight the urge to ask for more. Sparrow, meanwhile, had barely touched half of his. He watched me clean my plate with something close to satisfaction, and when I set my fork down, he nodded once, like I had passed another test.

Once we were done, he paid without looking at the bill and told me it was time to go home. I sighed with relief. Finally. I would see Tasha. And if she had made dinner, I would force myself to eat again, even though I was full, so her feelings would not be hurt.

The house was dark when we pulled into the driveway, and when we walked in, the dining table was empty. Not a single plate. The kitchen was exactly as we had left it that morning.

I bit my lip. It was a good thing Sparrow had eaten out, or his mood would have curdled the air in this house. He looked at me with an expression that said, very clearly, I told you so, and then he walked past me toward the stairs.

She shook her head, looking down. "I meant to. I wanted to make dinner like I promised this morning, but I was so tired I could not keep my eyes open."

"Do not worry about it." I said it quickly. "We already had dinner, Sparrow and I. There is nothing to feel guilty about."

She smiled at me, and I smiled back, and neither of us said anything else. I told her we'd see each other later, before I left her, glad that her feelings were safe.

Back in my room, I finally let the day catch up with me. I changed out of my clothes, showered again, and stood under the water until my muscles remembered they were allowed to relax. Tasha had slept all day, which meant she was probably wide awake now and not feeling sleepy at all, so I decided to use the time. I wanted to go over a few ideas in my head before I asked her what she wanted to do with her year. If she did not have any ideas of her own, I would offer her mine.