Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
I broke down by myself, there in Julius’s bedroom, as his brother sought out my soul through the keys of a piano.
My chest was locking up.
My eyes were blurring with fresh tears.
My lungs were caving in, suffocating in my own misery.
I lay there on Julius’s bed with my hand on the wall, trying to hold on to the melody that gave me peace through the horrible memories, through the future I may never have, through the fear and doubt that never left me.
In one unexpected encounter, Kraven beat Justin to a bloody pulp, instantly shattering all my illusions of who I thought he was. I hated violence. It never solved anything, yet it always seemed to be the first resort. I should have known better. He was reckless on his bike, and that was with his life, so of course, he’d be trouble with a capital T. At that moment, he appeared so big and so small at the same time.
So lost.
So desperate.
So sad.
I didn’t know the guy staring back at me.
And I was beginning to think I never had.
He played for me until the sun rose, until the world started waking up, until the music left us alone together, and the last note simply faded.
I jumped in the shower after only sleeping maybe an hour or two and tried washing away the confusion of last night before I made my way downstairs. I made us some breakfast, leaving Kraven’s portion on the stove. At some point, I must have passed out on the couch because I woke up to Kraven attentively staring right at me…
Sitting in the shadows without saying a word.
The curtain was still closed, making the room have a soft glow to it. The candle I lit on the coffee table cast an amber glow on his face, softening the hard edges of his features. It smelled like pumpkin spice, which only heightened my senses. From an outsider looking in, he appeared to be watching over me.
If Julius walked in, he’d definitely get the wrong impression. I took in his unruly hair that draped over his eyes, obstructing his view a bit. He was only able to see through the slits in the strands. I could see his dark, cold, beady eyes, penetrating deep into mine, sparking an uneasy reaction out of me.
The outpouring of emotions he shared with me seemed like he’d been drowning in them. It merely fueled the way he was watching me, making me question what or who he was truly seeing in front of him.
Him.
Me.
Julius.
Or worse, his mom…
I seized, locking up like I did only hours prior.
Staying firmly rooted to the place where I lay on the couch, I was held hostage in his haunted composure.
In his tormented expression.
In his conflicted demeanor.
And he knew it too, the conflicting effects he was having on me, and I’d yet to realize if it was a good or bad thing.
He grinned, reading me like a book. “You scared of me, Isla?”
I shot straight up, angling my chin in defiance, challenging him. A hint of amusement passed through his gaze, but he blinked it away. Making me think I imagined it as if I needed to cling to some connection with him.
My thoughts were lying out in front of us, and I was unable to run away like I usually did.
Wanting.
Needing.
Waiting.
Holding my breath with every fiber in my being. I couldn’t breathe, and I counted silently in my head. It was the only way to keep myself from passing out over the sensations I couldn’t control for the life of me. Shivers coursed down my spine and back up my neck. My heart pounded harder against my chest.
Beat.
Beat.
Beat.
“What, Kitty? Cat got your tongue, or do you only reserve your voice for screaming my name? Is that how I make you purr?”
“More like hiss.”
He smiled widely. “Hiss all you want. At least it’s got you talking to me now.”
I looked away. I had to.
“Relax, I’m not going to tell Julius about tampering with your Morse Code.”
My eyes shifted back to his.
“The guilt is written all over your pretty little face, and if I can see it, Julius will too.”
I blushed. I couldn’t help that either.
Feeling brazen, I replied, “Save the guilt act. You’re the one who’s watching me sleep. How creepy is that?”
“Can’t have you scurrying away on my watch.”
“Because of Julius?”
“Because of everything. That’s twice now that I need to know you’re not going to run your mouth.”
“To who?”
“My brother.”
I was offended. “If I didn’t last time, why would I now?”
“Well, for one.” He leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. His hair fell in front of his eyes. “I didn’t scare the shit out of you when I was on my bike.”
I didn’t hesitate in spewing…
* * *
“Says who?”
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Kraven
“How do you think I’m going to feel when I find you passed out in a ditch? I didn’t know if you were dead or alive.”