Page 50 of From You to Me

How much of this could I take before I combust into nothing one day?

Something that she said made him laugh. It was the first time I’d seen Jay laugh after six years. The burn in my eyes escalated, my heart heavy as it dropped to my gut.

It felt like my lungs were filled with tar with each passing moment. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

Because it hurt, it hurt so damn bad. It was the fact that she could’ve been me. It was the fact that my love story got played by an insolent bitch. It was the fact that we were too damaged to even have a normal conversation.

But the most grueling fact was that we could never be us again. We could never be Evy and Jay again.

I slowly slipped out of my seat and walked away. I couldn’t help the saltiness that flowed out of my eyes. I quickly wiped them away as I put on a brave face and got the hell out of there.

I was thankful for the taxi cabs parked by the curb; I slid inside, side-stepping the paparazzi lined outside, who didn’t bat an eye my way. I mean, why would they when I was practically a nobody?

I leaned against the window, watching the city lights blur by on the way to the marbled colonial palace—my temporary home.

With a sigh, I climbed up the stairs to my room, worn out, tired, and wounded from today’s events.

A sudden jolt cut through the air when a warm hand grasped mine and spun me around. Electricity zinged its way up to my bones as I locked eyes on a pair of smoldering blues that held me captive.

My eyes widened in shock, my heart hammering a beat that was too fast to be normal.

Jay.

CHAPTER 11

Tension coursed through the air as my mouth dried up.

Jay gripped my waist and pulled me closer.

I swallowed as I felt the warm heat radiate down my soul as his entire body pressed against mine, smashing me flush with him.

His hot breath feathered across my skin as he peered at me with such an intent gaze, haunting me.

I was imprisoned.

By the devil or the knight, I wasn’t sure.

I could only hear my breath come out in short rasps as the loud silence in the room buzzed in my ears. I couldn’t help but lock my gaze with his blues as my mind scrambled to formulate what was happening.

And before I knew it, rough hands circled my neck with such brutal force that I fought for my breath.

“I can’t stand you,” Jay hissed, running his nose along my cheek. “Do you know how much I fucking hate you?”

My lips parted as I fought for air.

“But fucking hell, you drive me crazy. Even after all these years, I still want you,” he mumbled, and in a fraction of a second, he stole my breath away, his teeth clashing with mine.

I gasped into his mouth as the shock faded away, bringing in the feel of the long-forgotten familiarity of his lips. Our tongues danced, craving the taste we once used to worship. Only thistime, it was not out of love but full of unspoken bitterness. The hate, the sadness, the loss, the despair, the hope, the lost love, and the pain wedged between us.

He gripped my hair, pulling me closer to him as he explored every single inch of me. He tasted like the Jay I used to know but only much more sinful. The man I still loved with all that I had was somewhere. And I was lost in a trance as I gave in to his kiss.

Because I missed it so fucking much.

He suddenly pulled back, lifted me into his arms, and carried me to his bedroom.

His lips met mine once again, and they never parted, even when we crashed into his bed—driving a frenzy through my core.

He pulled back, his hands running all over my body. “Why the fuck is it always you?” he mumbled before his blues locked on my browns merely an inch away, his nose touching mine.

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