Page 80 of Blitz'd

“You aren’t allowed to treat me like shit, Kerian.” He finally says it, and my fingers spasm enough to tug the strands and pull a small little sound of protest from his chest. “I’m not saying you can’t be a pissy asshole, because you’vealwaysbeen an asshole. But if shit gets bad, just tell me. Hell, tell me to fuck off if you need to, but don’t…” He pauses on the word and pulls back enough to catch my gaze. I can see all the hurt he must have felt in his expression, and the resolve that’s behind it now. “Don’t do that again. If you need space, tell me you need space. But don’t act like you don’t need me.”

It sounds like an impossible ask. I’ve spent my entire life keeping people at a distance and not giving a shit about anyone or anything around me. I’ve spent my entire life so sure that I’d had too many parts of me damaged when I was younger to eventhinkabout making space for someone else.

But Zander’s here, standing in front of me, and I realize he made space all by himself. He made space the second he strolled across the football field and pressed his lips to mine. I didn’thaveto do anything.

“I can do that.”

His expression goes soft again, and he blows out a breath like he wasn’t sure how I was going to react to his demands. Honestly, I wasn’t sure either, so…

“Good.” He steps closer to me and tilts his head up. It takes me a second to realize what he’s doing, and I freeze under his touch when he runs his lips along my skin and the swelling on my cheek. A small shiver zips up my spine when his mouth brushes against the cut at the corner of mine before his lips land gently on my own. The kiss tastes like blood, and I can’t help but think as he slips his arms around me and steps into me, that this is the first time someone has ever comforted me after Dad hit me.

I open my mouth and let him trail his tongue between my lips, let him lick against the roof of my mouth and my shredded jaw with a tenderness I don’t really know how to process but I find myself craving. Iwantthis. I didn’t realize I was becoming addicted to the way Zandercares, but I was.

I am.

I’m not sure I can live without it now.

My arms wrap around him and I pull him closer to me, the violent beating of his heart telling me he can feel whatever this is that’s happening is different. This kiss is different.

Fuck, it’s different.

It meansmore. It almost feels like a first kiss all over again, because I’m doing it knowing that I want to keep doing it forever.

I want tokeep himforever.

When he pulls back, I chase his mouth and bite his lower lip before letting him go. He’s flushed again, his eyes warm, his pupils slightly dilated.

But it doesn’t stop him from leaning forward and brushing his mouth against the bruise on my jaw one more time.

“Hey, Kerian?”

“Yeah, Dimples?”

“If I ever see your dad, I’m going to put him in the fucking ground.”

ChapterTwenty-Five

ZANDER

I’ve hadtrouble sleeping for the past few days, thinking of Kerian’s bruised jaw and listless eyes at the party. I never thought I’d see that expression on his face and it broke my fucking heart. How can parents treat their kid like that? How can a dad wail on his child and think they owe him something?

My parents never struck us, hell, they barely yelled. Colson and I did dumb shit to warrant our dad snapping or our mother wanting to wring our necks, but the most they did was give us this universal disappointed look that made us feel like shit faster than a fist or a raised voice could.

Seeing what Kerian’s dad’s anger did to him. Fuck, I’ve never been violent, but I wanted to find him and fucking kill him.

Every night, I’ve been checking on him, and every night, he messages me back telling me to fuck off. It never fails to make me laugh, even though I’m sure he thinks I’m being overbearing. Whatever. Don’t give a fuck if he’s unhappy about it; he knows he can’t stop me.

A wide yawn stretches my mouth as I try to focus on what my professor is saying. Nothing is making sense, everything sounds like gibberish as my mind flies away from me. There’s a long weekend starting today and I’m trying to make plans for me and Kerian. I’m not failing this Business Law class, so not paying attention for one day won’t kill me.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I stealthily pull it out. This professor is a fucking dinosaur, always bitching about texting and having our phones out in class. But he can eat a dick.

I side-eye my screen when I see a text from Russ.

Russ: supposed to be a kegger this weekend at the Rho Sigma house. You down?

Me: Nope got plans this weekend

Russ sends me the eyeball emoji. Nosey fucker. I chuckle as I text him back.

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