A wide grin spread slowly across Jacob's face; he seemed extremely pleased with himself。 It wasn't the
grin that I knew and loved—it was a new grin; one that was a bitter mockery of his old sincerity; on the
new face that belonged to Sam。
That was a bit much for me。
I'd cried myself to sleep over this boy。 His harsh rejection had punched a painful new hole in what was
left of my chest。 He'd left a new nightmare behind him; like an infection in a sore—the insult after the
injury。 And now he was here in my room; smirking at me as if none of that had passed。 Worse than that;
even though his arrival had been noisy and awkward; it reminded me of when Edward used to sneak in
through my window at night; and the reminder picked viciously at the unhealed wounds。
All of this; coupled with the fact that I was dogtired; did not put me in a friendly mood。
〃Get out!〃 I hissed; putting as much venom into the whisper as I could。
He blinked; his face going blank with surprise。
〃No;〃 he protested。 〃I came to apologize。〃
〃I don't accept!〃
I tried to shove him back out the window—after all; if this was a dream; it wouldn't really hurt him。 It was
useless; though。 I didn't budge him an inch。 I dropped my hands quickly; and stepped away from him。
He wasn't wearing a shirt; though the air blowing in the window was cold enough to make me shiver; and
it made me unfortable to have my hands on his bare chest。 His skin was burning hot; like his head
had been the last time I'd touched him。 Like he was still sick with the fever。
He didn't look sick。 He looked huge。 He leaned over me; so big that he blacked out the window;
tonguetied by my furious reaction。
Suddenly; it was just more than I could handle—it felt as if all of my sleepless nights were crashing down
on me en masse。 I was so brutally tired that I thought I might collapse right there on the floor。 I swayed
unsteadily; and struggled to keep my eyes open。
〃Bella?〃 Jacob whispered anxiously。 He caught my elbow as I swayed again; and steered me back to the
bed。 My legs gave out when I reached the edge; and I plopped into a limp heap on the mattress。
〃Hey; are you okay?〃 Jacob asked; worry creasing his forehead。
I looked up at him; the tears not yet dried on my cheeks。 〃Why in the world would I be okay; Jacob?〃
Anguish replaced some of the bitterness in his face。 〃Right;〃 he agreed; and took a deep breath。 〃Crap。
Well… I—I'm so sorry; Bella。〃 The apology was sincere; no doubt about it; though there was still an
angry twist to his features。
〃Why did you e here? I don't want apologies from you; Jake。〃
〃I know;〃 he whispered。 〃But I couldn't leave things the way I did this afternoon。 Thar was horrible。 I'm
sorry。〃
I shook my head wearily。 〃I don't understand anything。〃
〃I know。 I want to explain—〃 He broke off suddenly; his mouth open; almost like something had cut off
his air。 Then he sucked in a deep breath。 〃But I can't explain;〃 he said; still angry。 〃I wish I could。〃
I let my head fall into my hands。 My question came out muffled by my arm。 〃Why?〃
He was quiet for a moment。 I twisted my head to the side—too tired to hold it up—to see his expression。
It surprised me。 His eyes were squinted; his teeth clenched; his forehead wrinkled in effort。
〃What's wrong?〃 I asked。
He exhaled heavily; and I realized he'd been holding his breath; too。 〃I can't do it;〃 he muttered;
frustrated。
〃Do what?〃
He ignored my question。 〃Look; Bella; haven't you ever had a secret that you couldn't tell anyone?〃
He looked at me with knowing eyes; and my thoughts jumped immediately to the Cullens。 I hoped my
expression didn't look guilty。
〃Something you felt like you had to keep from Charlie; from your mom… ?〃 he pressed。 〃Something you
won't even talk about with me? Not even now?〃
I felt my eyes tighten。 I didn't answer his question; though I knew he would take that as a confirmation。
〃Can you understand that I might have the same kind of… situation?〃 He was struggling again; seeming to
fight for the right words。 〃Sometimes; loyalty gets in the way of what you want to do。 Sometimes; it's not
your secret to tell。〃
So; I couldn't argue with that。 He was exactly right—I had a secret that wasn't mine to tell; yet a secret I
felt bound to protect。 A secret that; suddenly; he seemed to know all about。
I still didn't see how it applied to him; or Sam; or Billy。 What was it to them; now that the Cullens were
gone?
〃I don't know why you came here; Jacob; if you were just going to give me riddles instead of answers。〃
〃I'm sorry;〃 he whispered。 〃This is so frustrating。〃
We looked at each other for a long moment in the dark room; both our faces hopeless。
〃The part that kills me;〃 he said abruptly; 〃is that you already know。 I already told yon everything!〃
〃What are you talking about?〃
He sucked in a startled breath; and then leaned toward me; his face shifting from hopelessness to blazing
intensity in a second。 He stared fiercely into my eyes; and his voice was fast and eager。 He spoke the
words right into my face; his breath was as hot as his skin。
〃I think I see a way to make this work out—because you know this; Bella! I can't tell you; but if you
guessed it! That would let me right off the hook!〃
〃You want me to guess? Guess what?〃
〃My secret! You can do it—you know the answer!〃
I blinked twice; trying to clear my head。 I was so tired。 Nothing he said made sense。
He took in my blank expression; and then his face tensed with effort again。 〃Hole on; let me see if I give
you some help;〃 he said。 Whatever he was trying to do; it was so hard he was panting。
〃Help?〃 I asked; trying to keep up。 My lids wanted to slip closed; but I forced them open。
〃Yeah;〃 he said; breathing hard。 〃Like clues。〃
He took my face in his enormous; toowarm hands and held it just a few inches from his。 He stared into
my eyes while he whispered; as if to municate something besides the words he spoke。
〃Remember the first day we met—on the beach in La Push?〃
〃Of course I do。〃
〃Tell me about it。〃
I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate。 〃You asked about my truck…〃
He nodded; urging me on。
〃We talked about the Rabbit…〃
〃Keep going。〃
〃We went for a walk down the beach…〃 My cheeks were growing warm under his palms as I
remembered; but he wouldn't notice; hot as his skin was。 I'd asked him to walk with me; flirting ineptly
but successfully; in order to pump him for information。
He was nodding; anxious for more。
My voice was nearly soundless。 〃You told me scary stories… Quileute legends。〃
He closed his eyes and opened them again。 〃Yes。〃 The word was tense; fervent; like he was on the edge
of something vital。 He spoke slowly; making each word distinct。 〃Do you remember what I said?〃
Even in the dark; he must be able to see the change in the color of my face。 How could I ever forget
that? Without realizing what he was doing; Jacob had told me exactly what I needed to know that
day—that Edward was a vampire。
He looked at me with eyes that knew too much。
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