Cruel Kisses (It's Just High School #2) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,68

it.

“Well, it’s pretty.”

“Okay.”

I take a step closer to her and she watches me with a weary look on her face that almost makes me pause as I stare at her.

Fuck I hate this. Since when does she cower to people and question her own strength?

But most importantly, who the fuck messed with her head enough to plant seeds that have grown into this kind of lethal poison, where she sees herself as less than and undeserving?

Who messed with the love of my fucking life?

“I like the glow in the dark stars and the blue lights,” she says, taking a step away from me when I take one closer to her.

“Good.”

I see her watching me, tracking me. I see the worry in her eyes. I see the way her bottom lip that I just tasted is trembling. I see her, so I stop moving. She does too.

“So, we’re totally alone back here?”

We stare at each other and I know one wrong move from me, and I’ll lose her. I don’t want that. I’m going to try and be what she needs right now and what I know to do, is be an asshole she’s familiar with.

“The walls are not fully soundproof, if you’re planning to take full advantage of me.”

She tries to crack a smile, but her lips wobble instead as her eyes well up with tears, her body shaking slightly.

Shit.

“Come here, Little Minx,” I mutter, keeping my voice low, almost a rasp. I see her eyes widening again, her body starting to tremble but that tense set of her shoulders melts away. Good.

She shakes her head vehemently, her lips pressed tight, her nose scrunched up like she’s fighting not to cry.

Fighting her emotions.

Fighting herself.

She’s hesitant but I can see her coming to life, those aquamarine eyes that reel me every single time, gazing at me with so much, so soon.

“Come here, Mia.”

That thing in my chest is racing again, beating so hard that if you listen closely above the hum of the plane’s engines or the barely noticeable sound of flying above the clouds, you can hear it hammering away.

I don’t want to repeat myself and I don’t want to scare her. I want her to come to me, to give herself fully to me, to trust me with herself, so I wait, forcing myself to be patient with her.

God knows even when she has hated me—hell, she might hate me right now—she was still patient with me.

“Mia,” I say gruffly, ignoring the hint of vulnerability in my own voice. “I won’t hurt you, baby,” I whisper and this time, she moves.

Taking hesitant steps toward me, I watch as she trembles, but never looks away from me which shows me one thing. No matter what, she’s still got her fight in her and I know what I must do from here on out to coax it out.

I don’t give a damn about what her real name is, her identity as far as I’m concerned won’t change how insanely I feel about her.

When she’s right in front of me, I open my arms out wide. She gasps as if choking on a cry, then she jumps into my arms almost immediately, her body melting into mine. Fuck, my body is trembling with relief.

This, right here, this is us.

She wraps her arms around me so tight and all I can do is feel her against me.

I can fee her heart race, matching mine, can feel the tremors passing through her body and into mine. I stand there and feel with her. Because I need this as much as she does.

“Julian,” she cries into my chest and I can’t stand it any longer. I pick her up and she wraps her legs around me. I take her to the bed and gently put her down buts he doesn’t let go. If anything, she wraps her legs tighter around me, her arms around my neck, holding on like a koala bear.

“Baby,” I groan, my voice laced with pain, hugging her to me like this is the last time I’ll ever get to have her in my arms.

“Please don’t let go,” she cries, and I die right there.

“Never, baby,” I say huskily. “I’ll never let you go.

God, how did things get to this place? How does shit go from nuclear hate to I’ll set this world on fire just to get to you? It’s her. She’s everything.

“God, I missed the hell out of you,” I groan, lying us down on our sides so I can