Page 28 of Kiss Me Forever

“Is something wrong here?” Dash asked as he moved forward, the glare on his face so deep that I knew he’d heard enough.

I tried to hold back tears, but as a single one fell, I knew it wouldn’t be the last.

I had no idea what I’d ever done to make Chelsea lash out like this, but I wanted to throw up. Or scream. Or do anything but fight back. Because how was I supposed to fight back to the lies she’d just spewed? My stomach whirled, but Chelsea just glared.

“I think I’ve seen enough here. We’ll be using another company.”

“No. You won’t. You signed a contract, and from what I know, you don’t have the authority to cancel it. However, your boss does. So why don’t we talk with them? Reece?” Dash asked, and I had no idea what it meant, but Reece just gave him a tight nod, before Dash, Lex, and a few others in suits practically pulled Chelsea away.

I had no idea what was being said, but my hands shook, and I looked at Reece’s back, wondering what the hell I was supposed to say.

“I didn’t—I don’t—I’m sorry.”

“Come with me,” he snapped, and I took a step forward without thinking. Then I froze, realizing that I couldn’t go with him.

“I need to fix this. I can’t have this encounter hurt the contract.”

“Fuck the contract. I was right when I said we don’t need them. Dash was just making sure he put her in her place.”

“I don’t know what just happened,” I said, shaking my head.

“Come with me,” he ordered again. He pulled me by my arm and practically dragged me out the back door. Thankfully, no one else was around to see. Then I was outside, the sun on my face, and I bent over, hands on my knees as I tried not to throw up.

“Breathe,” he ordered. And then he handed me a bottle of water that I hadn’t even known he had.

“I’m fine. I promise.”

“You’re not fine. And you shouldn’t be. Was that Duke’s sister then?” he asked.

I flinched at the sound of Duke’s name but nodded. “Yes. She hasn’t texted back in over a month, but I thought she was just busy. I didn’t realize she hated me. Or blamed me for her brother killing himself.”

As soon as I said the words, I stood, my hand over my mouth. I’d never said those words out loud. It wasn’t fair to anyone. Suicide was a terrible thing. To the person who took their own life, just the thought of it was unbearable. Because it was something within them that couldn’t fight back. But to the rest of the people left behind, there were countless emotions that thrived. Loss, anger, confusion. And now blame. There wasn’t one right way to deal with this loss, or to deal with what happened after. I didn’t blame myself. I had enough therapy and strength within me to not do so.

But Chelsea blamed me.

And I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with that.

“Fuck her. It wasn’t your fault. Do you understand me?” Reece pinched my chin and forced me to face him.

“I know it’s not my fault. But why does she blame me?”

“Because she’s hurting, and it’s easier for her to lash out at you than actually feel something. But fuck her. She’s a bitch, and I don’t care what she’s feeling right now. She can go to hell for all I care. She doesn’t get to hurt you just because she’s hurting. Duke hurt you enough.”

“I didn’t even know he was in pain.”

“People hide things so damn well, Brooklyn. We both know this.” The awkward silence settled between us, and I swallowed hard. But his hand had moved to cup my cheek, and I stood there, letting him. “We’ll never know why. But that’s not on you. It’s what he thought he needed to do, and it sucks, and it’s painful, and it’s not fair. But it’s not on you. And I’m not going to let Chelsea hurt you.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked, unsure I could speak on anything else he had just mentioned. He was saying all the right things, all the things that I needed to hear, and all the truths that wound between us. But if I focused on them, I would break. So instead, I focused on him.

“You know why,” Reece whispered. Then he lowered his head, cursed under his breath, and his lips were on mine.

I stood frozen in his touch, for a bare instant wondering how I hadn’t woken up from this nightmare and dream wrapped in one. But then his tongue brushed along mine, and I was lost. I put my hands on his chest, unable to do anything but let him kiss me, and there were no thoughts left, nothing but his taste, his touch. And when reality finally settled in, I pulled away from him, chest heaving.

“Why did you do that?” I asked as I put my fingers over my swollen lips.

“Because I’m a glutton for punishment.” And with that, Reece walked back into the building, leaving me alone as my world shifted off its axis.

Chapter 7