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I’m on the verge of fainting, until I see his face.
One blue eye so light, it’s nearly white, with a wicked scar slashing straight down through it.
He immediately lifts me into his arms, my legs circling his waist before he collapses to his knees, holding me so tightly that I can hardly draw in a breath.
“I’m here, little mouse, I’m here,” he chants. “Fuck, you’re so cold.”
He places soft but urgent kisses on any surface of my body within range. My head, cheeks, neck, and across my shoulders, while his hands roam mindlessly, heating my chilled skin, though it feels more like he’s worshiping.
“Oh my God, Daya,” I croak, once more overcome with disbelief. “Let’s get you up, baby,” Zade urges. “It’s cold, and the place is still swarming with people looking for you.”
“You’re safe now, honey,”
I’m safe now. Yet it still feels like I’m in Hell.
Seeing her like this breaks my fucking heart, and all I want is to hand her the pieces and give her something to hold on to.
“She’s going to get through it, Z,”
“I know she will. She’s the strongest woman I know,” I agree.
“Hey, Zade?” “Yeah, baby?” “Thank you.”
“My birthday is September 7th,” I tell her. “Doesn’t surprise me that you’re a Virgo. Next,”
“Meadows, baby. Our last name is Meadows.” “Yours. Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll be expected to beg.”
“I love to beg.”
“What’s your favorite flavor?” “Mint chocolate,”
“So toothpaste?”
“My entire world revolves around you. If you want mint chocolate chip, then that’s what I want, too,” he had said. “Do you even like it?” “I like you, does that count?” “No.”
“That happiness is fleeting?”
“It’s not something solid you can hold on to. It’s vapor in the wind, and all you can do is inhale it when it’s near and hope it comes around again when it blows away.”
Just when I think I can’t fall in love with him any more than I already have, he goes and does this shit.
“Was it Rio?” she asks softly, her voice watery from her own tears. “Yes,” I rasp.
“I want to get a tattoo.” He smiles. “Of my name?” I snort. “Keep dreaming, buddy.”
“You’re here. Why are you here? Did you need something?” “Just you, little mouse.”
I refuse to lose you again, do you hear me? I won’t.
We’re a team, baby. Got it?”
“I don’t want to fight about him with you because it’s not going to change anything. I know him better than you ever will, and if you want to hate him, fine. But do it where I don’t have to hear about it,”
“I think it’d be easier if I wasn’t in love with him,”
My heart softens, hearing what he’s not saying.
You can’t stand my touch, so here’s someone who can give you what I can’t.
“I’ll track down Xavier Delano,”
“That’d be awfully egotistical of him. It’s not like he didn’t know that I was… uh, with Z… or whatever.”
“Shut up,” I snap. “I don’t know what to label it.” “Fuck buddy?”
“Lover!”
“Oh, admirer,”
“One true love,”
“You really want to cause mass extinction for those names? Moan them, little mouse, I dare you. Whichever ones you choose, not a single man by that name will fucking exist anymore. How about we start with Chad? We can definitely live without the Chads in the world.”
“Not only am I scary, baby, but I’m really, really angry. And when I’m angry, I’ll make them pray for Hell.”
“Addie, baby,” I say, glancing her way. “Yeah?” she croaks, her wide eyes locked onto the road. “I’m going to need you to stop distracting me.”
“Our mouths are touching the same spot,” she says shakily. “Does that count as kissing?” “You tell me, little mouse. When I make you cry out for God, does that count as praying?”
“Would you make me bleed?”
“If you ask me to,” I murmur. “I’d prefer to see you covered in my own blood, though.”
“Good job, little mouse,” he praises, his voice deep and smooth as butter. “Didn’t want to join in?” He smirks. “My girl had it handled.”
“Did you know that reclaiming something that was stolen from you can help with trauma?” he asks.
“And if something hurt you before, giving it a new meaning can help.”
“Does it hurt knowing that you can’t touch me?”
“Does it cut deeper than this knife?” “Yes,” he confesses, his tone low and dark.
“One day, you’re going to feel safe with me again,” he whispers, his voice dangerously soft. “And when that day comes, you better pray I’m feeling generous.”
“Slap me, punch me, kick me in the goddamn balls. But do not point my gun at yourself.”
“Let’s go, baby girl. And when we get on our plane, I’m fucking holding you.”
