“You and I.”
My eyes moved past her, and the all-familiar struggle in her breathing broke like the times I’d laid her over my mattress and pleased her with the same lips and tongue that just spoke those three simple words.
She was acting strong. Hell, she was strong, and I showed her how. But I could strip her of her strength with a snap of a finger.
“Ollie, it’s the medication. You don’t mean that. You promised me,” she showed me my ring on her pointer finger, “You fucking promised me, remember?” Her hand shook between us.
“Don’t curse, darling. It’s a turnoff.” I took one step, but so did she—right out in front of me.
“Tell me what to do, Ollie. How am I supposed to remind you?” she asked, desperation twined in her tone and beaten eyes—my little desperate explosion of hope.
There was nothing to remind me of. I remembered everything.
“You can’t. It’s over. You have to let me go,” I said, forcing out each word.
She touched my face, and my entire body went rigid under her fingers. Standing at least a foot over her, I could easily pick her up and throw her to the opposite end of the hallway with little effort, yet she disarmed me with the tips of five soft fingers.
My incompetent body and helpless mouth surrendered under her touch. Even my heart went on standby, obeying like a damn fool, awaiting orders.
“Please, look at me,” she pleaded.
Only a fraction of a centimeter to my left was needed to see her, and that small effort demanded every ounce of strength I had, and I had a lot.
But it still managed to wipe me out.
Our eyes met, and despite my lack of giving a damn, my hand covered hers over my face. My intention at first was to pull them both away, but something snapped inside me.
And again, I couldn’t move.
Mia inched her way closer, lifting off her heels, and my eyes closed before her lips barely brushed across mine. She pulled away slightly, and I opened my eyes to see her.
Twelve freckles spread across her nose and under her eyes. Golden-brown eyes blazed from the fire in her soul. The sweet taste and heavenly aroma of … “Mia … ”Poetry.
An abrupt crusade fought within me.
A villain and a hero. An angel and a demon. Heaven and hell.
A rush of emotions crossed over me in an instant, and I dipped down, immersing myself in them. I couldn’t help it. She was to blame. She always had the power.
My reckless mouth grabbed onto hers, holding on for dear life. But not even her anchor was strong enough against the waves of the paralysis.
Because then it was gone.
I pulled away.
“I’m such an idiot,” I whispered, and the dark side inside laughed like it was no big deal. I looked her over, thinking about how my brother’s hands were on her. Thinking of how he had touched her. How she was his before she was ever mine. “Stay away from me, Mia.”
Five bloody words.
Despite the alarming, gaping hole it left, I walked away.
She cried out for me in the place I left her. My feet stayed in front of me, one right after the other, but the small fraction of my heart that hadn’t been corrupted by the pills screamed along with her, clawing at me from the inside out.
I shoved my hands into my pocket to clench my fists.
And I closed my eyes.
Chapter One
