She's Mine - Jenika Snow Page 0,58
to say he’s a tortured soul.”
Keira looked over at Molly. “I’m all about giving him time, but I can see how much you’re hurting, and when I saw him at school… Keira, he’s a guy with a broken heart.”
“When you saw Reese and I together, what did you see?”
Molly’s face softened, and she smiled. “You and these damn deep questions.” She chuckled softly. “I’m going to tell you exactly what I think, but I want you to really listen to me, okay?”
Keira nodded, not really knowing where this was going. “Before you and him were… whatever it is you guys are, I noticed he kept to himself, always had his head low, and didn’t engage unless confronted. He only had Nate as a friend, so that should tell you a lot.” They both laughed. “Then you came around, and the change in him was evident. The whole freaking school was talking about it. You were too engrossed in each other to realize what was going on.”
Molly but kept her eyes on Keira. “I think the way things turned out sucks in a big way, but ask yourself if you can go off to college without a backward glance. Can you put what you and Reese had behind you just because he did what you asked, because fucking BMA drama got in the way?”
Molly pushed herself up and sat cross-legged on her bed, facing Keira. “I saw how happy you were. For as long as I’ve known you, there has never been a time when you were like that. You always use your head, Keira, but this time you went with your heart.” Molly gave her a smile, but when her phone chimed with a text, and after she read it, she got off the bed and grabbed her purse and keys.
“I have to meet my mom for lunch. She’s going through a breakdown with the idea of me going off to school.” Molly gave her another small smile. “Just remember what you could have, and not what might happen if you gave yourself a chance with Reese. You’re stubborn, and it’s clear so is he.”
Keira sat up, gave Molly a hug, and really let her words sink in.
After Molly left, Keira played her best friend’s words over and over again in her head. She needed to talk to Reese, to corner him, make him look at her, listen to her.
She felt a renewed sense of hope at what she planned on doing. It may not solve anything, but they both needed to hash this out.
A knock on her bedroom door sounded before it was pushed open. Alex stuck his head inside and said, “Is it okay if we talk?”
She nodded and watched as Alex stepped into the room before sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. He’d come back since the last time, which was unheard of since he’d started college. And she knew it was because he was worried about her and how things had gone down with Reese.
The room grew quiet as they sat side-by-side.
“You’ve been so sad, princess,” he finally said and glanced at her. “I can feel it around you all the time.”
She whispered, “I know.”
Alex nodded and dropped his head again. He stared at his hands, and she followed his gaze. They were big and tanned, like their father’s. After a moment, he exhaled and lifted his head to look at her.
“That day he came over,” he said and cleared his throat, “he said some things to me.”
She felt her brows pull low. “Said some things? Like what?”
He lifted a hand and rubbed his nape. “I told him that if he ever came near you again, I’d kill him, that even though I didn’t know what he did, I didn’t give a shit how minor or big it was. I’d kill him.” Alex took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
“That was extreme, Alex,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Yeah. I know.” She shook her head. “I’ve never seen you like that, and I guess it sent me off the deep end. I was so pissed, Keira. All I wanted was him to hurt the way you were hurting.” He stared deeply into her eyes, this strange expression covering his face. “He told me he loved you, that you were the only thing in his life worth something.”
Her heart raced wildly at those words.
“I wanted to believe that he just said those things because I was going to kick his ass, but then he