Their laughter.
Their touch.
It all blended, forming memories of a love I’d never felt. The way they were looking at me, sucking all the air from my lungs like it belonged to them, was truly an art.
Julius announced, “The operator said if you continue to feel pain or see blood, we need to?—”
“I’m fine.” They faced each other, and I said, “Please, don’t do this…”
Not turning to look at me, Kraven spewed, “Stay out of this, Isla.”
“Please, Kraven… I’m begging you…” I pleaded with everything inside me.
He didn’t listen. I didn’t expect him to, but I had to try.
How is this happening? How can I stop it?
“This is between my brother and me,” Julius declared, shoving him back a bit.
I knew there’d be no getting through to them.
I lost.
Game over.
“Julius,” Kraven bit out through a clenched jaw, “don’t fucking touch me.”
“That’s what you respond? That’s what you’re concerned about?” He pushed him harder. “My hands on you?”
Kraven barely wavered, pissing Julius off more.
“Stand down, Julius. I don’t want to hurt you.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Don’t you think you’re a little late for that? The one thing that was mine, you had to take away from me. Why?” The desperation in Julius’s voice was crippling.
I hated that I hurt him. This wasn’t all Kraven’s fault.
Kraven admitted, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
Julius slammed him up against the wall, and I gasped.
“The fucking truth!”
“Julius…” Kraven cautioned. “I’m not going to warn you again. Get your hands off me.”
As soon as the last word flew out of Kraven’s mouth, Julius was already swinging. His fist landed right across Kraven’s jaw, whooshing his head to the side.
“No!” I yelled, jumping off the couch.
I ran to Kraven.
Except he stopped me dead in my tracks with his lethal stare in my direction.
“Don’t,” he ordered.
I wanted to fall apart.
How can he deny me?
