Page 35 of The Afterthought

"Grey," I say quietly.

"Yeah, little shadow."

"I can’t let you in again. This didn't mean anything." I feel the way his body stiffens behind me. This meant something to him.

"Can we go talk? I just have a few things to get off my chest. If you're still not interested in hearing anything after that, I'll go for now, but I’m not walking away from you this time, Ava."

He stands up to get out of the tub and wraps a towel around his waist before looking down at me, waiting for my response.

"Fine, we can go talk." I stand to get out of the tub, but my legs are still weak, and I almost fall back into the water.

He reaches out to steady me, helps me out, and places a towel around my shoulders. He's being too nice. Part of me feels like he's trying to manipulate me. It's too weird that a few days ago, he hated me, and now he's obsessed with me.

"I'm going to put some clothes on." I push past him to leave the bathroom and slam my bedroom door closed behind me.

I opt for something comfortable: navy blue sweatpants with a random college name down one leg that I got from a thrift store and an old oversized gray T-shirt. Once dressed, I leave my room to figure out where he is. He's sitting at my kitchen table with a glass in hand. The pizza has been moved to the counter, and he looks lost in thought.

"You bribed Chloe with pizza, didn't you?" His head whips over in my direction, and he smiles.

"She really doesn’t like your cooking. I made sure to at least get it from the place you like." He gives me a half smile.

"I know I said we could talk, but I'm exhausted. Honestly, I would just like to go to bed."

"Give me a few minutes. You don't have to say anything. I just need you to listen."

"Fine." I make my way to the chair next to him and sit down.

He pauses for a moment and sighs. "I couldn't let you stay."

I'm already annoyed with this conversation because my choices are mine only. He didn’t let me do anything. I chose to go after he pushed me away, and I would have chosen to stay for him if he gave me the chance.

"I didn't tell you about the Crimson Rose because I didn't want you to be pulled into this life. Letting you go was the hardest thing I've ever done. I got the tattoo on my chest a few months after you left to remind me of what I lost. It had to be done. I couldn’t leave with you because I need the crew and the outlet it provides."

I look up at him.

"You know that I've always had these urges with fire that I've struggled with. I did my best to ignore them, but it got to the point where I couldn't anymore. The gang gave me a safe place to let that piece of me shine. People fear me. I have a scorching reputation. Pun intended."

"That doesn’t explain why you’re here now, though."

"I fully intended to let you go. I didn't think you would ever come back to Dune Valley. You didn’t come back when your mom died, and there wasn’t anything here for you. When I saw you again, I tried to convince myself I didn't want you. I tried telling myself I could make you leave again, and things would return to normal. The truth is, you’re the only thing I’ve ever wanted more than the flames."

"You lost me seven years ago," I say, determined to not let him into my heart.

His eyes narrow. "No. You're mine, Ava. I'll give you some space to accept that, but you are mine. I've had a taste of you, and I promise you, baby, I'm never letting you slip away again."

"I can't be yours."

"You don't have a choice in the matter. I know you took that job that Alec offered you. Did he tell you who he was?"

This has my curiosity. "Who is he?"

"Alec Boone is the leader of the Cobras."

I freeze. The leader? He is just as bad as the rest of the people in this town. No, he's worse because he runs the gang that rivals the Crimson Rose.

"He, what?" I whisper.

"He is their leader Ava, and you let him fuck you without a single care in the world. He did it because he knows you're mine. He's trying to start a war between our gangs."

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