This is what you get for trying to die on me, you reckless dumbass.
“Sorry, Gree,” he gasps again, hands on his knees. “I know you love me too damn much and you were scared.”
Oh, this motherfucker.
I stalk closer, jabbing a finger at his forehead. “You can’t step out of this apartment without my permission. Get that through your thin, bulletless skull. Otherwise—next time—it won’t be bullet...less.”
My chest heaves. I glare at him, daring him to laugh.
He breathes easier. Too easy. And then—of course—his smirk returns.
He steps in, again, voice low and stupidly fond. “I won’t die that easily, baby.”
I growl—actually growl.“You stupid moron! I can’t protect you if I’m notwithyou!”
He chuckles like this whole thing hasn’t shaved a year off my life.
“I’m sorry,” he says again, this time genuinely. Still wheezing a little. Still smirking a lot.
And then he’sgrinning. Like I didn’t just almost crush his windpipe.
“God, you’re such a dumbass,” I snap.
He wheezes but that damn glint doesn’t leave his eyes. “Maybe Iwantedto get punched by you.”
I blink. “What?”
“I mean,” he rasps, his voice cracking, “you always look like you wanna do it—but you never do.”
Then I explode. “Oh,fuck you, Vik! You want to keep testing me, be my fucking guest! But you donotget to be reckless on my watch!”
He raises his hands in surrender, that smirk morphing into something softer—too soft.
Too... tender.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispers.
And it pisses me off—the damnbaby. His apologies piss me off.Hepisses me off.
I hate that I care. I hate that he’s breathing in front of me. I hate that I’m relieved yet again. That I want to grab him and shake him and shove him into a fucking iron cage so he can’t go off pulling these stunts again.
The anger coils in my chest, mixing violently with something else. Something molten and carnal and dangerous. All those feelings rapidly fading and igniting and I can’t seem to figure out which one will win this time.
Then I feel it before I even realize what I’m doing.
My blood buzzing. My throat burning. My palms shaking.
“You—”
I start but stop abruptly—my chest heaving. He opens his mouth to say something else—
But I launch.
I grab this moronic lamebrain, yank him down, and crush my mouth to his.
No hesitation. Just raw, recklessanger.
I feel him stiffen. Then freeze.
