"I pulled every resource, checked every spot I could. Saw your shadow in every blonde, smelled your scent in every vanilla whiff."
My hand left the mirror, landing on her cheek, thumb brushing the shadow under her cheekbone.
"I told myself it was just obsession, just not wanting to lose, just—" I stopped, drew a deep breath, her scent flooding in, vanilla mixed with steam, "just couldn't forget you."
Something welled in her eyes.
"This..." her voice shook, "this is ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?"
"You couldn't..." she shook her head, like convincing herself, "you couldn't have missed me, you had Bianca, your family, you had—"
"I missed you like crazy." I cut her off, each word clear and sharp, "I fucking missed you like crazy."
Her breath quickened, chest heaving, towel shifting on her.
"No!" she shoved me, "no, you're lying!"
"I'm not lying."
"You're lying!" She shoved harder. "You couldn't have missed me, you couldn't—"
She twisted to leave, and I grabbed her wrist.
"Let go!"
"No."
She spun back, yanking her wrist free, but I held on. She tugged hard, and the towel loosened in the motion, slipping off, pooling on the tile floor. She didn't grab it, just lifted her head, eyes flashing anger, embarrassment, something else spilling out uncontrolled from somewhere deep.
Her hand flew up, slapping me.
A sharp crack echoed off the tile walls, then faded.
My head turned to the side, stayed there, unmoving.
Heat bloomed on my cheek.
I slowly turned back, looking at her. Her chest heaved, hand still raised in the air, that calm shattered completely, nothing left but herraw self—anger, five years, something held too long finally bursting free.
My sanity snapped right then.
I clamped her wrist, pinned her against the mirror, leaned down, closing the distance to nothing.
"Let—"
I kissed her.
Not some gentle, testing kiss. The kind that plundered, almost violent, like devouring her whole.
She struggled, hands pushing my chest, trying to shove me off. But I didn't let go, pressed her tighter, tongue prying her teeth apart, invading.
Her taste stayed sweet, with a salty edge—tears mixing in, probably. Her body went rigid, muscles taut like a drawn bow.
Then she bit me.
A sting shot through my tongue tip, blood taste spreading in my mouth.
