Page 45 of Haven

She came closer to me, blocking me in with her body. “Don’t lie to me. I saw you trembling when you left. Talk to me.”

Why did I have to fall in love with people I couldn't have? Falling for my sister’s best friends was God's way of punishing me even more. Maybe I needed to make a deal with the devil to have the women I desired.

“If I talk, I’ll cry. And I don’t do that,” I whispered, looking up at her. “I’ll be okay. I always am.” Vesper’s care was genuine, and I hated that I couldn’t have her. “Vesper, you know what might help me feel a little better?”

“What’s that?

“A kiss.”

The air changed between us, but Vesper didn’t move. “That’s a dangerous request, mariposa.”

I shrugged, looking at her lips. “You asked.”

She sighed, leaning in closer. “You know we shouldn’t.”

There were a lot of things I shouldn’t do, especially this open, but I didn’t care. “We can make it quick.”

Vesper’s hand found my waist, pulling me into her. Her lips brushed against mine like a butterfly touch before she deepened it. When I expected her to kiss me, I expected a chaste kiss like the ones we’ve shared before, but this…Vesper kissed me like she was tired of dancing on the edge. Her hand slid up my spine, fingers tangling briefly in my hair. The sound I made was ungodly, but holy hell I was dazed and lost in this magnificent woman.

The kiss was supposed to be quick.

This was the opposite, but I wasn’t complaining.

The world narrowed around us as I wrapped my arms around her neck, deepening the kiss more. I forget what I was doing, where we were, the fact that my sister was upstairs waiting for me. This moment could be taken from me at any moment, so I was savoring the few minutes I had with Vesper finally caving in.

Vesper cupped my jaw, her thumb brushing the edge of my cheek. She was gentle with me, holding me like I would shatter in her arms, but the way she kissed me told a different story. How would it be if she didn’t have to hold back? If this was a sneak peek, I wanted the whole damn thing.

When the front door slammed open, we pulled back. Vesper ran a hand through her hair like she could physically erase what just happened. I pressed my fingers to my mouth, relishing in the feel of her still dancing on my lips. Every lie that spilled from her lips about not wanting me was officially obliterated. That kiss proved how much she was fighting back her feelings because of my sister.

“Go see your sister,” Vesper said, walking back to the bar.

Yep, the universe hated me, but now it was time to face my sister’s wrath.

Thirty-Seven

Rory

“Oh, Cinder,” I chimed as I kicked the door open to Cinder’s office. The room matched her personality—dark, slightly bland, but undeniably powerful. The walls were a deep, charcoal-grey that sucked the light out of everything, making the atmosphere somber. The decor was minimalistic and sleek with a slight edge to it.

The only sign this office belonged to her were the various pictures of the two of us. Cinder was like an obsessed mom in more ways than one. I loved her for it, but damn, I didn’t want her to be my mother or try to fix what she did to me. I found the last picture we took together when Cinder turned eighteen and then our mother ruined everything.

Mama was angry, but she was always angry. Ellabella came to see me and wanted to take me with her, but Mama yelled at her. She did that a lot with Ellabella, but then she was mad at me and hurt me. When she left, I stumbled out of my room to see her. She always yelled when I bugged her, but she was my mama.

“Mommy?”

“Aurora, we’re gonna go away for a while, okay?”

I stepped back. “Away? Like from Ellabella?”

“She is going to get you in trouble, baby. We don’t want them to take you away. We need to go.”

“I don’t want to!” I screamed. “I want Ellabella!”

It happened before I could react, and she hit me. “I am your mother! You listen to me, and we are going whether you like it or not. That bitch doesn’t care about you.” Neither do you, I thought…and then she changed again. She did that a lot, too. “I’m sorry, baby. Mommy loves you.”

If Mama loved me, why did she hurt me? I wanted my sister. She loved me more than Mama did. I didn’t want her to take me away.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Cinder roared as she snapped me back to reality.