Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

“Why do you have a gun?”

He doesn’t let me push him away in my panic. Instead, his arms strap me to his body like a human harness. The visor of his cap resting on my forehead when he leans down. “I said I wouldn’t let anyone else hurt you, that I would protect you…”

His face is so close to mine that when I tilt my head back, our lips are practically touching, they pulse with how sore they are from his bites and kisses.

“I appreciate that…”

“You appreciate it, but?” He has a full-on pout going on and it makes it impossible for me to think about our conversation—my mind is drawing blanks.

Gaaaah, why does he have to look like that?

“I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me or hurt.” Moving my right hand higher so that it rests on his waist, his skin feels so warm over his hard muscles and I can see why he might think he’s invincible. “I couldn’t live with myself, Leo.”

Jaw clenching and grinding, he looks at odds with himself, again, because of me.

“I will not let anything touch you again.”

My heart thuds at the intensity that flows from his words and his gaze and the way in which he tightens his hold so that he really is cocooning me from the world.

I have to painfully squeeze my arm between us so I can stroke his face. His eyes are dark and the way his whole body is tense around me, tells me that so are his thoughts.

I’ve always seen something lurking in the shadows of his face and his eyes, but I didn’t know how strong and potent it was. I don’t know what he’s been through, but I see enough scar tissue to know that it hurt him beyond any imagining.

“There are some things that are out of our control.”

“Not this.” He closes his eyes and when he opens them, he is as cold as the Night King. Devoid of warmth and emotion, his expression is stony and bitter.

“Even this.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. You have no idea what could’ve happened to you yesterday.” Unwrapping himself from me, his scowl is debilitating. “You have no fucking clue!”

His anger vibrates through him and I can see it boil over into frustration, he’s trying to rein it in so hard but I know what’s coming. I’ve been waiting for him to blow.

Stepping closer, I reach for his hand. “You can’t control everything.”

Turning away from me, his hands slap onto the mirror at the back of the elevator with a crack, the splintering of the glass reverberates with his loud voice around us. “I warned you! I begged you not to go.”

“I…I didn’t think…”

“You’re not an idiot, Cassandra!” Turning to look at me, I can’t tell if it’s pain or loathing twisting his face, maybe it’s both. “Someone tells you you’re in danger, you fucking listen! Someone tries to protect you, you fucking let them do it! You don’t understand how lucky you are…all the things that could have happened to you…”

“I have a fair idea.” Tears prickle up my throat and break my voice before they collect in my eyes.

When the doors ping open, I’m so shaken by his outburst that I jump out of my skin. Neither one of us moves as tears drip pathetically down my face. It takes for the doors to start closing for him to move.

Grabbing my wrist, he walks me to the Range in wide, fast and angry steps.

“Let me show you how lucky you are.” Opening the back door, he almost throws me inside without so much as a second glance.

I can’t help the hurt I feel and when he gets in the front, I feel like I’ve been sliced through.

“We’re going to the hospital.”

“Leo…” Wayne looks between us, perplexed.

“Drive or get out!”

He drives, I think that maybe he’ll ignore Leo and take me home, but he doesn’t. He takes me the opposite way.