Page 72 of Paper Thin Love

That was a mistake, right? He meant to kiss my cheek like he always does.

He pulls us down on the blanket again, pressing my back against his chest.“What if my life gets worse?”

“It can’t because you just learned from your mistakes.” He declares fiercely. He lays us back, holding me tight. We lay in silence as my breath slows, the clouds changing above us.

“I don’t want you to break, Mila. Promise me you’ll come to me sooner, so I can catch you before you fall.”

Oh Dominic… you just proved to me that I should have danced with the devil and not called you to sweep me away instead.I’m already broken. Dash knows that and, in his own sick way, I believe he is trying to piece me back together again.

Dom might be my friend, but friends will only tell us what we want to hear. Sometimes you need the enemy to point out your faults.

Dom doesn’t see the real me. Dash does.

“You’re right.” I begin to lie painting the fake picture that this is just a teenage melt down. Dom will buy it, they all do. Except Dash, he wants something real and not manufactured, and like the seasoned buyer, Dash knows what is real versus what is phony.

“I’m just having a bad day mixed with hormones. I’m fine.” No one hears me except for my devil. That’s why I sold my soul to him.

“Save yourself, Mila. Wait until a guy comes along that deserves you. He’s out there. Trust me.” He kisses the top of my head.

I don’t reply. I’m tired of waiting.

“Can you do me a favor?” I ask.

“Of course.”

“Can you take me to an art supply store before you drop me off?”

“Sure. Why?”

Because I need to purge this plague from my mind.

Chapter 29

Dash

Fear is digested daily in my world. However, usually I’m the one producing it, then relishing as someone is forced to swallow.

It’s the other way around today.

I dig my crutch into the soil, stopping Jared’s next step. I don’t need it to walk with anymore. My leg feels better each day. I keep the truth as a weapon, just in case someone is foolish enough to underestimate me.

“Where is she?” I demand.

Jared’s lip tugs up, relishing in the facts I don’t know.“You’ll lose her.” He taunts.“You might have her fooled, but she will come back to me.”

My first thought? Kill him, bare hands and all.

My second thought, it would upset Mila, so I resist. My will power is suddenly a vine that is wrapping around Mila’s delicate finger. Fuck!

Jared walks around my crutch. I can’t let that happen because others are watching. Letting this go invites attacks from others. I know it’s coming. I’ve sensed other guys who participate in The Cleansing lurking closer each day, like vultures circling.

I act fast swinging my crutch just as I have practiced with Dante and Cillian. It smashes into the back of Jared’s head. I lower it, jamming it into the back of his knees, causing him to collapse to the hard ground. He rolls onto his back, trying to get up. I press the crutch to his neck, cutting off his air supply.

“Here’s how it’ll go. Youwilltalk, and if I’m satisfied, I’ll let you go.”

I lean over my cast as if it’s still a hindrance. The truth is, I can bend over completely now. Balance was easy to find, thanks to those lessons with Cillian and Dante.

I turned my cast from an obstacle into a shield. After a few days, I could bend down without hurting my leg, but I never told Mila that.

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