Page 107 of Ink Deep Devotion

“My dad’s guards were with us,” I roll my eyes.

“Calm down, Dashy. See Mila, I told you we should have gone home with those guys we met on the plane. They would have been a lot more fun.”

What?

Oh, you bad girl.I know what she’s doing. Any chance to piss off Dash and Nova will take it, no matter the cost.

“You what?” Dash glares at me.

“She’s joking,” I mutter as I pinch the bridge of my nose, fighting a sneeze. I want to laugh again, not fight.

“You track her phone, Dasher,” Nova announces.“that’s next-level creepy.”

Dash’s eyes turn livid.

“Girl code required me to block all your apps and your number,” Nova smirks as she grabs a tube of lip gloss and paints her lips.

“Dash,” Titan pushes off the wall. I didn’t notice him at all. I rub my eyes, trying to push away the drunken fog.

You know what, Nova’s right! Here I am apologizing and trying to soothe Dash when he ghosted me after the best orgasm of my life!

I step back out of his grip, raise my hand, and thank my mind for being drunk so I can have the confidence to do what I do next.

I smack Dash right across his pretty face.Damit! Shit! That stings!“We’re done!” I shout as I shake my hand.

How do you like that, Dash? Whiplash.

I turn, stumble, and then right myself as I head for my dorm room.

That felt…good and bad, like taking medicine that was awful, but you know it’s going to heal you. Dash needs to know I’m not a doormat. I love him; I want him so badly I feel like I’m dying, but…I need more. He was right; I want more. Our hookups in the shadows won’t be enough because the light of the day illuminates our gaping holes, and the only way to shield ourselves from that light is to love each other so all the world can see.

Nova keeps taunting Dash.“A job well done on my behalf. Have fun trying to handle your fiancée now.”

“If you don’t make her suffer, I will,” Dash yells to Titan.

“I don’t mind pain with a side of suffering, Dasher.” Nova teases.

“Enough!” Titan roars as I shove myself inside my room. I kick the door shut, but Dash storms inside, grabs me and throws me over his shoulder.

“Put me down!” I punch his back. He’s speed walking out of the building like I weigh nothing.“Dash, I’m serious. I’m gonna puke.” I hit his ass, then giggled and hit it again.

“You’re drunk,” He seethes.

“Doesn’t matter; we’re not together anymore until you grow some balls.” I tip my head up, piercing out at the empty campus lawn,“You hear that? I’m free!” I open my arms like I’m flying and not caught in his snare.

He swings me forward and cradles me in his arms, looking me dead in the drunken eyes.“Togetherimplies you can be separated.” His eyes gleam shades of blue and hazel. Fire and ice, opposing forces. His heart and mind constantly fight.“We can’t be separated,” he growls.

My heart skips a beat.I know we can never separate our hearts, but I have to separate our bodies until your heart shows itself to me, my love.

He opens the door to his car and places me inside, taking the time to buckle me in before he grabs my chin.“You can scream and shout all you want, tell me it’s over, kick me out, but you’re mine no matter what Nova convinces you to do. You belong to me.”

My throat thickens. This is when I’d crumble into his arms. It’s a declaration, after all. It’s his way of saying he loves me without voicing the words.

Stand strong. If you want his heart, you have to be brave.“And like any asset, you pull me out to play when you see fit.” My eyes water.“Love me.” I plead, as my bottom lip trembles.

I watch his throat bob as he swallows. He’s so close to saying it, but then he steps back and closes the door.I lean my head against the window as we make the silent drive back to his house. Tears fall slowly down my cheeks, burning and washing away all my hope.

“You said you could handle this, my touch in the shadow. My cruelty in the light.Youstarted this game, Mila. Not me. I planned to leave you alone, but you pushed and pushed until I fell into you again. You did this,” Dash whispers as he shifts the car into park.

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