Page 127 of Diem

Mute, I stare into his eyes. It hurts my soul to know he thinks he’s not good enough for me, but he’s giving me an out and I should take it.

I vowed to let him go for Ollie, for him. Except Ollie has secrets too. He arranged Penny’s attack in the parking lot. Ollie has gone off the rails.

Maybe I shouldn’t care about my brother. Maybe for once, I should care about me.

Resolved, I touch his lips, and he closes his eyes as I whisper, “Diem.”

With a shudder, he wraps me up in his arms and breathes against my ear, “I’m not a good person.”

“You’re not a bad one either,” I say, and he exhales before tipping my head back.

With a searing look, he drops his lips to mine, and I open on a sigh. This is it. I made my choice, and I chose me. I just hope I don’t regret it.

∞∞∞

After school, Diem waylays me on the way to my car and with a smile, I slide into his vehicle, marveling over the peace I see in his eyes.

When he grabs my hand and places it on his thigh, I scooch closer and lean against his arm. I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay in the car with Diem like this forever.

“Whatcha thinkin’, sweet?” he rumbles, and I shiver, snuggling against his chest.

He inhales quickly and grabs my waist. I see his desire from the corner of my eye and feeling naughty, I touch his erection, smiling when he gasps.

Before I know it, we’re parked in a vacant lot between a huge dumpster and a hill.

“C’mere,” Diem husks and my veins burn as I crawl into his lap but to my surprise, instead of making a move, he presses my head to his chest.

We exist like that for a while, with him stroking my back. I can’t resist my smile and snuggle deep, knowing this is the calm before the storm. There’s so much going on around us, I’ll take this for as long as I can get it.

“Sweet?” Diem says.

“Yeah?” I whisper.

My phone buzzes but I refuse to break the circle of his arms until he stiffens, and they fall away. Leaning back, I squeak when he dumps me on the seat and grabs my phone.

“Diem—“

“Why is Skull texting you?” His silky voice sends a chill through me, and I close my eyes.

With everything else, I forgot about Skull. Shit.

“Maeve? Why. Is. Skull. Texting. You?”

With a wince, I sit up and crab walk backwards until my back hits the door. Diem’s scalding stare burns my chest as I say, “It’s not what you think?”

Dropping my phone to the seat, he starts the car while I stare at the side of his face dumbly. Why is he so mad?

Only when he peels from the lot, do I break from my stupor and spin around, grabbing my seat belt and clicking it shut as he speeds down the road.

The silence is filled with so much tension, I can barely breath and glancing at him sideways, I whisper, “Diem?”

But he doesn’t answer, and I fight to speak through the frog in my throat. I know it looks bad, but I just need to explain.

“Did that fucker bother you?” he growls, and I flinch. “That’s what this is, right?”

“Die—”

“Right?” he roars and I grab his hand, noting that my ice-cold fingers feel good on his warm skin, until he shakes me off with a scowl.

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