Page 89 of Kiss the Villain

“Both?”

“The thrill eventually goes away, so search for another branch to hold on to.”

She swallows, her throat working up and down. “You know Kill would never let me go.”

“The real question is, are you willing to lethimgo?”

She falls silent, and I can see the unsettling realizations rushing to her wide eyes, darkening them, even making them glisten with unshed tears.

It’s one of my superpowers, I think—making people face things they never would’ve considered otherwise. I don’t waste it on anyone I don’t care about, and I don’t particularly want to hurt her.

She’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to Kill. Since she entered his life, he’s less consumed by chaos and even stopped pestering me.

And I’m thankful.

Despite my flawless act, pretending to be all about school and maintaining the perfect GPA, I’m on edge. No one notices, of course. But there’s a fire building inside me, swelling, growing, threatening to burn everything down.

Like an inferno.

"Come here, Gaz! Let me drown you!" Niko splashes water our way, and I grit my teeth when some of it hits me.

But Kill rushes in, immediately shielding Glyn from the mess.

"Should’ve mentioned you were coming. Miss me already?" He grins down at her, still in his white coat. Wouldn’t surprise me if he cut his internship short just to be here.

"Who says I’m here for you?" She glares up at him. "I actually came around to talk to Gareth."

Well, fuck me catching strays.

Kill tilts his head toward me, a murderous glint narrowing his eyes.

I lift my hands, smiling. "I plead not guilty. Not my fault I’m better company than you. Right, Glyn?"

"The fuck did you just say?" Kill growls.

"I’m just repeating Glyn’s words," I tease. "She said I’m better company than you and that she’s more comfortable around me."

It’s that suicidal mode again—the need to provoke, to get my head rattled or something.

Anything, really.

Kill starts toward me, but Glyn grabs his arm, and to my surprise, he stops dead in his tracks. He looks down at her, like he’s completely forgotten I exist—or that anyone else is around.

Then he drags her away.

To fuck, I suppose.

As I watch them disappear, my mind keeps circling back to that look in his eyes when she touched him. Manic…mixed with something else. Reason? No, calm?

She calms him? How the hell does she do that?

And why does he get that, while I’m left drowning in this raging volcano of emotions I can’t even explain?

Kill is the one person who resembles me the most. In a twisted way, I consider him someone who belongs to me. The other day, he was attacked and I felt murderous because I don’t like people touching what’s mine.

But right now, I’m more…envious.

Of what? Him? His relationship? His goddamn luck?

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