Page 43 of Mine to Ruin

There it goes, years of not believing I could fall in love and put my trust completely in someone, and that my art would be enough. With him, it feels so natural, so right, I can’t stop it. Nor do I wish to.

My hands strike the paint over the canvas, creating deep lines, layers and layers of different colors. Hours pass, and I’m immersed in colors and canvas until Brandon peeks his head in.

I set my brush down while he adds, “It’s like a vacuum of blue. It draws you in.”

“Yes, I love the ocean theme,” I add and turn to him while his face scrunches up. “What?” I ask.

“May I?”

I nod and his thumb rubs a spot on my face.

“Oh, it’s okay. I’m used to getting myself splashed in the process.”

It’s like I have a Kian detector because I feel the tension sizzling from him long before he approaches us. Brandon snatches his thumb away, and I roll my eyes at Kian’s murderous glare.

“I thought we could go to lunch together, but I see you’re occupied.”

“It’s… I—”

Kian snaps at him, “I don’t want to hear it,”

Hurt crosses Brandon’s face, and I dig my finger into Kian’s chest, admonishing him, “Don’t be mean. He’s your brother.”

“It’s not something I could ever forget,” he says, and for a moment, undiluted pain flashes in his eyes and Kian’s entire body stiffens.

“I’ll come back later,” Brandon says, dejection contorting his face.

“No, please.” I lift on my tiptoes and whisper to Kian, “Do something!”

He challenges me with his eyes, but then he gives in. “Let’s go eat together.”

Like a child who got a present, Brandon’s eyes lighten up, and we exit my studio.

“Thank you,” I mouth to Kian with a smile.

“Oh, you will,” he says, and my insides flare up with the promise for later as I peer into his heated eyes.

In front of the elevator, Brandon asks him when he’ll come home for dinner.

“Not anytime soon,” Kian deadpans.

“Mom misses you.”

The coldest laugh escapes Kian. “That would be new.”

The pain he hides behind an asshole-ish attitude toward his brother has to do with their family, but what could have Brandon done? My friend is clueless.

Inside the elevator, Kian pulls me to his chest, wrapping his hands around my belly. If that’s not marking his territory, I don’t know what is. When the elevator door opens, the three of us exit, and Kian puts his hand on my lower back, guiding me inside the Italian restaurant. Jason and Kendrick wave at us, and I halt, finding Melanie at their table, typing on her phone.

“We could go eat at another table?” Kian asks, and I shake my head. He just reassured me I don’t need to see her as a threat.

We take our seats. Jason and Kendrick are on one side. Kian, Brandon, and I are on the other side. Melanie eyes me with an icy glare; I should check my body for frostbite, but I ignore her and order a soup and a second course.

“I envy the fact that you can eat so much. But the metabolism slows down with time,” she says, voice too sweet not to be mocking.

Kian’s mouth is already open when I chime in.

“I’ll worry when it comes to that. So sweet of you to think about me.”

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