Roman throws his hands out. “Ido! That’s why I’m fucking asking.”
She finally cracks a smirk, but it’s conniving and mischievous. “Someone is easy to rage-bait.”
The whole interaction has my eyes ping-ponging between the two as they verbally assault each other. She has more than piqued my interest, and Kairo is in the same boat as me. He’s clawing away at the restraints tethering him to normalcy and wants to jump in so bad that he can’t hold still.
“You like to make us angry, huh?” Kairo tilts his head tauntingly. “Give me a shot,Thorn.”
The nickname is new, and it causes Rosalie to push up from her chair. She crosses the room, her slender legs peaking out of her robe as she braces herself across from Kairo. The ire in her glare could kill a grown man, but my friend only smirks at her as she spits venom at him.
“What did you just call me?” She seethes.
Kairo stares back at her with half-lidded eyes. “I called you thorn. You want to be a pain in our sides.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” she growls before stepping back and cocking a hip. “Actually, I think you got plenty of pain in your side, if my memory serves me correctly.” She brushes a finger over her chin, grinning. “Didn’t you break your ribs in the military? Sorry if that isn’t true. I didn’t really pay attention to anything mentioned about you.” She looks at her nails, seeming aloof and cocky.
“Oooo,” Kairo chuckles deeply, his eyes darkening. “She’s gottensobrave. Such a little fighter.” He moves closer to her, leveling their noses as he bends down. “I bet I could make you fucking squirm, Thorn. Test your luck.”
“Bite. Me.” She rages.
“Bend over,” He quips in return.
Roman places his hand between them, scowling at Kairo. “That’s enough. Both of you.”
Rosalie scoffs, rolling her eyes as she retreats back to her chair. “I’m not hiring you.”
We all share a look, a silent pact going between us. We’re staying, and that’s final. Roman tilts his head in Rosalie’s direction, instructing me with his eyes to smooth this over.
I nod before walking over to her. She’s facing the doors, her arms crossed as she attempts to ice us out.
“Hey,” I say quietly.
Her gaze flickers to me. “What do you want?”
I swallow, and the light, sweet scent of her care products washes over me. She smells like fucking candy, and my mouth begins to water. “I wanted to apologize… for everything.”
Her face falls a fraction, before she hardens again, looking away from me as she shifts. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I mumble. “I’m sorry. We weren’t the easiest to get along with—”
She laughs humorously, throwing her head back. “Weren’t easy? You three made my life hell, and you expect me to just forgive you and move on? Hard pass.”
“We don’t expect you to forgive us,” I shake my head. “Not at all. You deserve to be angry. We were horrible to you.”
She sighs, “So? What do you want from me, then?”
“A chance to make up for past transgressions,” I shrug. “We don’t deserve your forgiveness, but we’ve changed.”
She stares at me unblinkingly before her mouth twitches. “I’m just a way for you to sleep at night, then? That’s not my responsibility.”
Oh, you have no idea, Songbird.
“How can I even trust that you’ll keep me safe?” She questions, turning her body to face me. Every inch of her I’ve committed to memory doesn’t do the real thing justice. She’s just as fucking breathtaking as the first day I saw her.
It was during my first period class. I was late and got stuck with the only available desk in the back. Rosalie was seated right beside me, her head resting on her arms as she slept.
She looked so tranquil and unbothered by the hardships she faced. She was like a painting, and I, the observer. I don’tknow how long I stared at her. All I knew was that I couldn’t look away.
It was an awakening moment for the darkest desires I would harbor later on in life. She was at the center of it all and had no idea.
