Page 97 of Fiery Little Thing
“No.”
“Blaze,” I warn.
“You’ve seen it enough times.” She tilts her chin up like a petulant child.
“I’m going to spank the shit out of you if—”
“Ditto,bud. Your ass slaps back when I smack it.”
The muscle in my jaw twitches as I narrow my eyes at her. Why did I think she’d magically become less difficult when she decided she wanted to be with me? It’s been a month since McGill died, and she still insists on fighting me at every fucking turn.
The headlines called McGill’s death a home invasion. The suspect? A tall male who is approximately three hundred pounds. Tracks led to and from the school, which was an unfortunate piece of evidence I had no way of getting rid of. Blaze got off scot-free, while the entire male student body became suspects—though the police couldn’t interview them. Rich kids with even richer parents? The big guns came out straightaway. No questioning unless being charged, and Mommy and Daddy’s top-shot lawyer has to be in the room.
Lots of students openly hated McGill. As for me? So far as everyone is aware, the old man and I have interacted twice. So, in other words, the suspect is at large, not a single eye is looking either of our ways, and my girl is graduating in our horrific uniform while I wear her lipstick stain on my wrist.
This past month has been the highlight of my entire life. Our days have more or less gone the same; we bicker in class then glare at each other and Sarah during lunch. In the afternoon, I’d attempt to tutor her—the key word there isattempt.I love her, but fuck if she isn’t the most insufferable student to have ever existed. Then, oncethe lights were out, I’d sneak into her room and choke her half to death so she wouldn’t wake up the whole dorm with her screaming.
A couple times, she’s told me to fuck off to hang out with Charlie, and I somehow end up around Liam if I’m not busy at practice or doing Kiervan’s work. Either way, it always ends with me in her bed and another bite mark on my skin to carry me through to the next day.
I raise the silver chain ring I stole back from her an hour ago. “If you want to wear it, you’ll show me.” A psychiatrist would have a field day hearing that our push-and-pull relationship comes in the form of stealing from each other on a daily basis.
Blaze sneers, glaring me down for a solid five seconds before huffing her reluctance. “Fine.”
Smiling internally, I drop down onto my haunches in front of her and pull down her bottom lip where the wordKOHEN’Sis inked in black onto the soft skin. The part of my soul only she can reach comes alive, pulsing and vibrating as I read it again. Red lips. Copper hair. Blue eyes. She’s my fiery little thing.
I yank my hand back just in time to avoid losing a finger, and she bares her teeth at me. If she wants to bite me, she’s biting me with my name on her lips. And that’s worth bleeding over.
“You’re a psychotic animal,” I mumble, then drop onto the floor across from her, plucking her off the ground and onto my lap. Her warmth seeps through our clothing the second her body touches mine, dispelling any thought that this could be the last time we see each other.
It’ll work, I assure myself.The plan will work.“Do you want to go over it one more time?”
Blaze rolls her eyes. “If we have to go over it one more time, I’mgoing to forget it out of spite,” she groans. “We split up. Steer the fuck clear of Jonathan. I shut up, behave, and haul ass out of here. You come back with stacks of green sticking out of your underwear. Then we sail off into the sunset.”
Less eloquently put, but pretty much spot-on.
I nod stiffly. I don’t like letting her out of my sight for more than a couple minutes. The fact that I might need to for hours is going to be torture in and of itself. If her grandfather catches her, then I lose everything. Any life plans we both decided on over the past month would go up in flames. Any thought of a future would be gone. My life starts and ends with her. If anything happens to her…
My fingers reach up to curl around her throat and feel her pulse thrum against my skin.She’s alive.I have to keep reminding myself that, but it’s difficult not to think about how easy it would be for her to be ripped away from me.
If she’s gone, then what? My brother’s shadow is long, my father’s is even longer. They both think I’m a failure who’s unworthy to have my last name. They’ve always been wrong about it because they’re blinded by their own narcissism. But if I lose Blaze, they’ll be right in every sense of the word.
I didn’t deserve her before. I don’t deserve her now. Even once I’m dead, I’ll still fight to be worthy of her. I’ve captured and locked away everything she’s ever offered me so I can be buried with it; every time she places her trust in me, or smiles in a way that lights her eyes and softens her shoulders. I’ll keep it all with me. Always.
“Kiss me,” I say. Whether she hears the desperation in my voice or smells the fear emitting from me, the tension unwinds from her muscles as she slumps into my arms.
“Say please,” she chides softly.
“I need you.”
The touch of her lips to mine is nothing short of tender, moving as if we’ve been lovers over lifetimes. She’s telling me all the things I’ve told her, without putting them into words.I’m yours.It’ll always be you.I’ll take care of you.
And I kiss her back saying the three words I haven’t said out loud:I love you.
But the moment crashes around us when one of the teachers yells to get our bags and start heading down. Blaze and I slowly break apart, leaning our foreheads together as the heavy air settles around us. Thiswon’tbe the last time we do this. I refuse to let it be.
Tonight, she’ll be in my arms as I fall asleep, and we’ll both be free.
Blaze holds her hand out, palm upward. “You owe me a ring.”
