Page 6 of Forbidden Harvest

My hands find his throat, and I squeeze, watching the panic flare in his eyes as he struggles to breathe. “She’smine,” I snarl. “Do you hear me?”

The life begins to drain from his eyes, but then he punches me in the ribs. Grunting, my grip loosens, and he takes a lungful of air, coughing and spluttering.

Launching at him, we continue to fight, trading blows. This is a fight to the death. It is my one intention as my vision blurs with pure rage.

Somehow, Aaron gains the upper hand, pinning me down and raining blows on my face. The metallic tang of blood fills my mouth, but it fills me with a surge of adrenaline. I throw him off, sending him tumbling backward toward the edge of the bleachers.

He teeters, arms flailing as he struggles to regain balance. I see the fear in his eyes. The realization that he’s about to fucking die. And I love it.

“She’smine,” I growl. “And you’ll never touch her again.”

With a hard shove, I send Aaron tumbling over the edge. His anguished cry echoes in the still night air. I watch, transfixed, as he plummets down, his body crashing against the metal bleachers before hitting the ground with a thud.

Silence falls, the only sound the pounding of my own heart as I stare at the unmoving figure below. All I feel is triumph. No one else will ever have Aria.

But the small rational part of my mind screams at me, reminding me of the risk of lingering. I’ve just killed someone.

I stare down at Aaron’s lifeless body, a strange sense of calm washing over me. There’s no guilt, no remorse—just a deep, unwavering certainty that I’ve done what was necessary.

I turn and hurry back to my car, knowing I’ve got to get out of there and put as much distance between myself and the crime scene as possible. Getting caught isn’t an option. I can’t lose Aria.

As I approach my car, a flash of movement catches my attention. I freeze, watching Aria head toward the bleachers.

The horror on her face when she sees Aaron’s body, a small pang of regret tugs at my chest. She starts screaming, and I know I’ve caused her pain. But it was a necessary evil. She’ll understand, eventually.

People approach, drawn by Aria’s cries, and I know I must leave. Climbing into my car, my hands shake as I start the engine.

As I pull out of the parking lot, I glimpse Aria in my rearview mirror, her face streaked with tears. My heart aches, but I know this is for the best. I’ll keep her safe, no matter what it takes.

I drive away, my mind racing with questions.

What will happen now? Will they know he was murdered?

I push those thoughts aside, focusing only on the road ahead. Aria is mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

5

ARIA

AGED 15

My heart pounds as I stare at Aaron’s motionless body on the ground. He lies in a pool of crimson, his features distorted and lifeless. Tremors wrack my body, while I struggle to make sense of the horrific scene before me.

Sirens pierce the air, and soon, paramedics are everywhere, working frantically. But even as they rush around, I know it’s too late. Aaron’s gone, and a part of me is breaking, too.

The police start asking questions, but their voices sound far away. Tears are streaming down my face, and I can barely speak. “I... I didn’t see him fall,” I say. “When I got here, he was already...”

I can’t get the image of Aaron’s broken body out of my head. We were laughing and making plans just hours ago. How did this happen?

I feel so guilty, even though I know it’s not my fault. But I can’t help thinking I should have done something to stop this.

With trembling fingers, I call Mom. The world around me is a blur of flashing lights from the emergency vehicles.

“Mom,” I choke out when she answers. “Something terrible... Aaron... He’s...” I can’t say it, but Mom understands immediately.

“We’re on our way, sweetheart. Stay where you are. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Those ten minutes feel like forever. I hug myself, trying to stop shaking. After asking their questions, the police keep their distance.

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