She's Mine - Jenika Snow Page 0,57

and it was like someone had stolen her voice.

“You’re giving up on us?” he asked again, his voice stronger, his expression hard as anger started morphing his features.

“No, that’s not what I’m doing. I’m just trying to be realistic.”

His chest rose and fell harshly. “I care about you, I...” He stopped before he finished, closed his eyes, and she watched him take a deep breath in. He opened his eyes and she saw… nothing. No emotion. “I don’t want to hurt you or stop you from thinking things through. I’m a patient guy. I have all the fucking time in the world when it comes to you.” He cleared his throat. “The truth is, I don’t deserve you. I never did. But I was a lucky bastard that you became mine. This is just the way I figured—feared—things would go. I knew you’d realize I was trash. I was just waiting for that other shoe to drop.”

“Reese—” Before she could get any other words out, she found herself in his arms, his lips on hers. This kiss felt like… closure.

Then he was gone, moving away from her, getting in his truck, and leaving.

Her knees threatened to buckle as she watched him drive off.

She felt Alex move up behind her, felt his hands on her shoulders, giving her the silent support she needed. She wanted to bring Reese back, to tell him he wasn’t trash, that he deserved her as much as she deserved him. She wanted to tell him she’d never wanted anyone or anything more than him.

She wanted to tell Reese she was in love with him.

But instead, she turned around, gripped onto her brother, and cried into his chest.

32

The last weeks of school for seniors had passed quickly, and during that time, Keira hadn’t seen much of Reese. The times they did cross paths, he never looked at her or spoke, despite her wanting him to pull her in and embrace her every single time.

When she did attempt to speak with him, because she didn’t want things to be this way, he was distracted, flippant even.

It was her fault he felt the need to give her “space.” He was taking it literally, as in no contact.

Graduation had come and gone, yet she didn’t feel any kind of excitement with the prospect of starting a new chapter of her life. Reese hadn’t even walked for his diploma, even though she knew he’d had honors.

The pain she felt at the thought of him not being there, of him not accepting such a great accomplishment all because of her, had her regretting so many things. She wanted to go to him, to tell him the things that seemed bottled up inside her, that she’d made a mistake. Time wasn’t making things easier. In fact, it was so much harder.

He consumed her thoughts, night and day, and all she wanted were his big, strong arms wrapped around her. She’d kept the majority of her feelings to herself, only speaking with Molly and Ian about a little of what she felt. It was too personal, too hard to say the things she felt out loud.

She sat on her bed and stared out the window. She couldn't see much aside from the clouds, but it didn’t matter what her focal point was. All she thought about was Reese.

“Keira, you aren’t even listening to me.”

Keira looked to her side. Molly had come over to talk about classes she’d be taking when she started school. But Keira hadn’t been able to focus on anything her best friend said.

“I know you’re thinking about him,” Molly said softly. “You’re always thinking about him.”

She exhaled. It was the truth.

“Why don’t you just go talk to him?”

She slowly shook her head. “He’s avoiding me. He’s giving me time like I stupidly asked for.”

Molly was silent for a second before saying, “Why didn’t you tell me you’re in love with him?”

Keira closed her eyes and shifted so she was now on her back. “That obvious, huh?”

Molly snorted. “It’s been obvious since day one, girl.”

“It's… complicated.”

“That’s what people say when it really isn’t.”

Now it was Keira’s turn to snort in amusement.

Keira had kept all this to herself, hadn’t even told her parents. They’d been so wrapped up in their own lives they hadn’t seen her moping around the house this whole time.

Molly laid down next to her. “I may not know Reese, but from what I’ve seen, how he’s acted, especially with you, and how his home life is, it’s not hard