Page 72 of Mine to Ruin

“You take too much time. It makes it easier for me to anticipate your movements.” I shove him away, but he remains an unmoving mountain. He balances on his feet, swinging one arm and then the other in the air, showing me. I copy his moves, but he avoids every one of my punches with the swift precision of a professional fighter.

“Ugh.” I groan and try to kick him, only for him to block my attack. He kicks my feet out from under me and I lose my balance and drop on my back on the ground.

“Anger is not how you win a fight.” He stands above me with an outstretched hand I slap away and shoot up and charge right at him.

“I thought it’s all you need.” I am itching for a fight, frustration over my lack of control in my past drowning me, and anger is the only way to keep my head above water. Then there is jealousy with its ugly jaws tearing at me. My hand shoots to his chest but he grips my arm and I groan.

Did he ever have his control taken away?

“You need a clear head and concentration. Fighting is about being in control, above the anger.” He holds me to his chest, while I seethe on the inside.

“Great, I lost. Congratulations.” I turn to him, lifting my hands. “What now?”

A shadow crosses his face, his voice lowering with tenderness. “Ellia.”

With pent up anger, I use his stomach as my punching bag.

Until he came around, I was fine with my denial, my lack of feelings, burying my past. When madness gives way, I take a step back, horrified at what I did, and drop onto my ass.

“I can take your anger, angel.” His voice feels very far away.

I tear at the hand wraps, hug my legs, and put my head on my knees, rocking back and forth.

“Why are you doing this to yourself?” He gets down on the floor with me and peels one hand wrap after the other away.

“Did I come between you and Melanie?” I ask him, accusations blaring in my eyes. My emotions are all over the place that I can’t think straight.

Kian runs a hand through his hair and his eyes bore into me. I see his heart in them. I want it to be mine, just mine. I lower my head, shame enveloping me, but anger clouds everything else.

“Of course not. You know that. I get you’re upset, but don’t do this to yourself.”

My chest heaves with heavy breaths. Confusion that feels like something between jealousy and rage swirls in my foggy mind.

His hand shoots behind my neck, and he drags me to his face and says in a growly voice, “You, Ellia. Always fucking you.”

Tears roll down my cheeks from the relief of hearing him say it, but he’s not finished.

“You make my heart race, you light up my darkness. I have never needed anyone before you. It started with your painting. I thought about the artist who could wield her pain while I drowned in mine. And then you crashed into my life again.

“When I realized it was you, and I got to know you better, it quickly became clear that fighting with myself over my need for you was impossible. You have always held a part of me. It was your painting that had me coming back and wanting to fight the fight. It helped me do more than survive.”

My shoulders sag, and a sigh escapes me as I confess, “It’s more than my jealousy, it’s also the picture of that night.”

His jaw sets in a hard line, eyes darkening. “I know.”

“I can still feel his touch, he stole something from me that night.” I dig my nails in the floor and I shut my eyes and shiver. Kian wraps me in his arms and rocks us.

“Tell me how to help. What can I do? Because I am so fucking close to killing him for touching you.”

“Promise me you won’t.”

But he doesn’t, and he silences my pleas with his mouth instead.

“Erase his hands from me.”

“With fucking pleasure.” He rips my top off, me and then my shorts and slips one finger inside me. “So wet for me. Do you want my cock this badly?”

I nod eagerly, and I buck as he sucks on my nipples. Yeah, take me on a journey to the stars.

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