Arrogant Heir (The Heirs #2) - Michelle Heard Page 0,56

“Thanks.”

I spot the food I ordered earlier on the counter as I pass by the kitchen and decide to check on Mila.

I look in my room first, and not seeing her, I go to hers. I knock on the closed door, and when there’s no answer, I push it open and frown when it’s dark inside.

“Mila?” She doesn’t answer, and I switch on the light. Worry bleeds through my body when I find her room empty. I check her bathroom and then rush out of the room.

“What’s wrong?” Fallon asks.

“I can’t find Mila.”

Jade peeks out of her room. “I saw her go into yours earlier. Have you looked there?”

I nod but still go back into mine. “Mila?”

I check my own bathroom, and my heart is pounding in my chest when I step back into my room… and that’s when I hear her.

Muted sobs are coming from my walk-in closet.

I switch the light on and have to step inside before I see her cowering in the section where my shirts are hanging.

“Babe?” I crouch by her and place my hand on her knee.

She has one of my shirts in a death grip pressed against her face while her body trembles.

I slide my arms under her knees and behind her back and lift her out of the small space. Sitting down, I lean against the wall and pulling my arm from beneath her knees, I place it behind her head and hold her to me.

Fallon and Jade followed me inside, and they give us a look of concern before they leave, shutting the door behind them.

“I’m here. I’ve got you,” I say until the trembling lessens. Slowly, I pull the shirt out of Mila’s hands, and placing my finger beneath her chin, I lift her face. “Tell me what happened.”

Her breaths are short little puffs. She shakes her head, then wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face against me. “Today was just harder than I expected.”

I hold her for a little while longer, then say, “The food came. Do you think you can eat?”

She nods, and it makes a smile tug at my lips.

“Okay.” I help her up before I rise to my feet. Framing her face, I raise it to me, and I wait until she lifts her eyes to mine. I see the fear and panic darkening her green irises. Leaning my forehead against hers, I whisper, “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

MILA

I feel rotten and depressed as I follow Jase out of his room. It feels like I’ve failed myself today. I so desperately wanted to be strong. I wanted to show Jase and my friends, I wasn’t going to let this thing beat me.

But it did beat me.

And the only place I could find any sort of comfort was in Jase’s closet. I needed to be surrounded by his scent.

I sit down at the island in the kitchen and watch as Jase plates our food. I don’t have any appetite, but not wanting to cause him any more worry than I already have, I know I’ll have to force it down.

He grabs two bottles of water then comes to sit next to me.

God, this is awful.

I hate that I fall apart the instant he leaves.

But I just can’t handle being alone.

I force a smile to my face. “Thanks for the food.”

“Sure.”

I cut a carrot in half and shove it into my mouth. It’s hard to chew and swallow, and I rinse it down with a sip of water.

I keep my eyes on my plate while I force all the dreadful emotions back into the furthest corner of my mind.

“It was nice of your grandparents to visit,” I mention before I spear a piece of cauliflower and bring it to my mouth.

“It was.”

I glance at Jase, and when I see he’s not eating but just staring at me, I ask, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Jase rests his elbows on the granite surface and links his hands together. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

I shrug and focus on cutting a piece of the steak. “It was just hard today.”

I don’t want to tell him about Rachel and Summer, because I know he’ll lose his shit. Jase can’t get rid of every student who whispers about me. I’ll just have to find a way to deal better with everything.

My broken spirit can’t bear a moment without Jase, but I still make the words leave my lips, “I think it will be better if you don’t