Page 4 of Left in the Dark

She’s already shaking her head as the words fly from her mouth. “You can’t. I wish you could…”

She presses her lips against mine, taking the sting away. She kisses me in a way that makes me forget there’s an entire world around us.

Nothing else matters excepther.

When she pulls back, her eyes sparkle. “I thought you were gonna take me somewhere and—oh God.”

I arch my hips up, grinding against her panties. Her head falls back, and she looks ethereal in the light streaming throughmy truck windows. My personal angel who has saved me more than she’ll ever know.

She’s the lighthouse that shines through my darkness, guiding me home.

I know it’s ridiculous to believe you met your soul mate at fifteen. But the first time I looked into her green eyes, something passed through me. The energy zapping in the air between us gave off sparks, and every day during the last three years, it’s only gotten stronger.

We’re like a power plant giving off sparks. While it’s beautifully striking, one wrong spark and we’re in danger of exploding.

CHAPTER 4

Delaney

Ican barely wipe the smile from my face as I walk through the school doors, a fake note in my hand that Zayne wrote, forging my mom’s name.

Taking a breath, I force my lips to contort into a grimace, wincing as I walk inside the office wearing a different skirt than I wore earlier, courtesy of sneaking inside my house while Zayne waited in his truck in the woods.

Mrs. Zimmerman, one of the office secretaries, looks at me sympathetically. “That time of the month is terrible, dear,” she whispers, patting my hand. “I hope you feel better.”

Oh, I feel much better.An image of Zayne’s mouth and fingers inside me makes me shiver. I’m struggling to come down from the euphoria he makes me feel.

Pushing the thought away, I give her a weak smile, pretending I’m in pain. “Thanks, Mrs. Z. Have a good day.”

As I exit the office, Zayne pushes off the wall, his muscular frame falling in step with mine. “Did it work?”

I give him a huge smile, butterflies swarming in my stomach from his presence.I’ve got it so bad for this guy.“Like a charm.”

We walk in comfortable silence, neither needing to fill it with meaningless words.

Dread fills me as we near the classroom door. Zayne is the only person I can be my true authentic self around. It’s getting harder to play the role thrust upon me by my father, even knowing his fists of fury will punish me if I step on the line.

Zayne grabs my hand and gently squeezes it, pulling me from my thoughts. “Thanks for going to the lake with me. It’s one of my favorite places.”

All the negativity I’d been feeling vanishes from his words and smile. Zayne does not smile a lot, but he does around me.

“I didn’t know that spot existed. I’m glad you showed it to me.”

“You’re the only one I’ve ever taken there.”

Butterflies swarm my stomach. I look around the hallway, ensuring we’re alone, before I stand on my tiptoes and plant my lips against his for a quick kiss. “That warms my heart more than you’ll ever know.” I flash him a smile before dashing inside my classroom, knowing if I don’t leave now, I never will.

Why is life so damn complicated?

This is supposed to be the best year of my life… but it’s not. The unfairness of being unable to have the guy I want most because he’s from the wrong side of town is a bitter pill to swallow.

I liedto Tim and told him I had horrible cramps from my period to get out of going to the party. I couldn’t stomach the thought of being around the pompous jackass. Not when I feel the sands of time in the hourglass running out.

The prom is in two weeks. Tim made a big production of asking me to go with him during a family dinner, and my fathersaid yes before I could open my mouth. Picturing myself at the dance with Tim makes me nauseous.

I wish I could go with Zayne… if that’s even his thing. I know he’s gone to parties, but he’s never danced with anyone. I’ve never seen him in formal wear, but the thought of him wearing a tux makes me drool.

A knock on my door pulls me from my musings. “Enter,” I yell, not moving from my prone position in the center of my bed.

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