35. A Shock

KIARA

I froze and I felt Alejandro stiffen. I pulled away as if his touch burnt.

"Slut." Jasmin’s quiet voice came.

‘Slut’ Alejandro had called me the same. If I knew… An excruciating pain pressed against my chest, suffocating me. I felt like I was being forced underwater. I couldn’t breathe.

I turned and rushed to the door. The strip of light was the only thing guiding me, I stumbled as my hands desperately felt around for the door handle. When I sensed another presence and Raven’s scent filled my nose, then the door was pulled open by her. I stepped out and rushed for the stairs.

"Kia…" She whispered but I couldn't look at her as I ran up the stairs and straight to my room.

I was about to lock the door when she slipped inside just before I could slam it and locked it for me, pulling me straight into her arms just as I broke down.

"I didn’t know." I whispered as she lowered us to the ground.

"Oh, he is such a fucking bastard." She hissed as she caressed my hair.

I could feel her anger and sadness. Why hadn't I listened? A loud sob escaped my lips and I clamped my hands over my mouth to muffle the sounds. It hurt, so much. Why did he play me when he had someone? And then kissed me in front of her? I rocked myself, trying to ease the pain that was battering my chest. Raven hugged me tightly but it wasn’t enough.

"It’s ok… It’s going to be ok. He’s a dickhead. I swear if Uncle El and Liam knew-"

"They are never going to know." I whispered, looking up at her. "I want to go for a run."

"Kia… It’s dark." She whispered, sadness in her eyes.

"I don’t care." I can smell fine. I would be ok, I just wanted to be alone.

"I can come with you."

"No, you can’t shift. I just want to run. You will slow me down… Please Raven." I whispered. The room was too suffocatingly tight.

I needed space and fresh air.

"Kia…Fine." She sighed in defeat.

"Cover for me." I said quietly.

She nodded, watching as I stood up and walked to the large windows. I looked down into the darkness, all I could see was black with a few dots of light. I pulled my top off and stripped my trousers off before I slid the window open and jumped out. I shifted in mid-air and ran ahead, not caring that I couldn't see anything, it didn’t matter if I got hurt. The pain I was feeling in my chest was a thousand times more than any that could be inflicted upon me physically.

Jasmin’s words echoed in my mind and I felt horribly stupid. How could I not have realised it from the way they were sat? What game was Alejandro playing? I knocked into a wall, whimpering as pain sent a spasm through my side. I got back up and felt along the wall. Was this the one around the edge of the mansion? I backed up, trying to remember the height of the wall, readying myself for the leap.

Three, two, one....

I broke into a run, leaping into the air and over the wall, landing on the ground. Agonising pain shot up my leg but I didn’t hesitate before I took off blindly into the darkness.

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ALEJANDRO

When she tore herself from my hold, I was shocked... The way she stumbled blindly and felt for the fucking door handle, hurt like a bitch. Physically, the pain I felt rendered me fucking stunned. I just stood there as she ran up the stairs, unable to process anything with the foreign emotions that I was feeling.

I kissed her because I couldn't hold back. I needed to taste her again. The way she had sat there, crossed legged, watching the movie. Her breasts were in nothing but a tiny crop top... The way she pouted or wrinkled her nose at a scene in the movie. The way she kept twisting a strand of her hair around her finger. The way she had reached for a cookie when the screen was at its brightest. It fucking hurt. I wanted to fucking hold her and give her whatever she wanted… It was fucking with my mind.

"You’re engaged?" Rayhan’s voice came.

I swallowed, trying to compose myself. I looked back at Jasmin as she sat there, clearly fucking jealous. My anger blazed up and I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to tear her head off.