Page 78 of Savage Ruin
“Mitch is here,” I murmur. He hasn’t answered me. My throat starts aching from the hurt bottled up inside. “I set up camp up here because I didn’t want to take the chance I’d miss you.”
He shoves his hands into his pockets.
Tears slip down my cheeks and a sob escapes. “I’m very, very sorry, and if you let me make it up to you, I will.”
The bed dips when he sits. His hands wrap around my head while his thumbs wipe the tears from my face. “Don’t cry, sweet Rose. Everything’s going to be okay. It was bound to happen sooner or later. We’re two damaged souls finally walking in the light, but the past is a trigger capable of pulling us into the shadows. It means we’ll have to be more careful with each other.”
He places his lips on mine in a soothing kiss. “I should have known you were fighting your own demons, and figured out a way to help you. I let my own past sweep me away, then I left you to deal with all this. I’m sorry too.”
Hearing his words only makes me cry harder.
Strong arms wrap around my back and pull me into his chest. “Shh, it’s okay.”
“It’s not. I’m not okay. I’m not okay with hurting you. I’m not okay with yelling at anyone. I’m not okay with all this,” I sob, overwhelmed by the emotions bombarding me. Guilt, fear, sadness—I’m so full I can’t breathe. “Everything is too much right now and I’m not okay. But I’m sorry. So sorry.”
I can’t hold back anymore. The gates burst open, and the sobs take over.
Finding out who my stalker is should be something to celebrate, but instead I’m more confused than ever. He’s a stranger. We’ve never even met. Did he randomly pick me out all the students he was supposed to be advising? Is that why he wouldn’t meet with me?
And the one question disturbing me the most—why does he avoid the camera?
David. My first real boyfriend. How does he come into it? What did he do to make him so indebted to Harrison? My memories of him and me were bittersweet, but now they’re completely tarnished and worthless.
The pictures of my mom, the hatred from Thiago’s dad, and all the tension from the last few days, including the incident with Grayson—I cry it all out.
Through it all, he’s here, handing me tissues, holding me, murmuring sweet reassurances.
My tears slow until there’s only one or two slipping down my face. I must look terrible. Conscious of his stare, the heat rises from my chest to my face, and I excuse myself to the bathroom to clean up. A red, splotchy face looks back at me. It’s my ugly cry face.
I come back out and walk over to him. “Sorry, I think everything’s been building up inside me, and I couldn’t contain it anymore. Thank you for staying with me.”
“Anytime,” he whispers, pushing a strand of my hair back behind my ear. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it a second later.
My heart whimpers at the distance between us. “Right.” I lean over and kiss him slowly. “I’m so incredibly sorry. I wish I could say it would never happen again, but I haven’t had a lot of experience with relationships. And no matter how much I try, I’m not always going to get things right between us. But I hope you’ll forgive me.”
His lips cling to mine, but he says nothing.
“I’ll give you some space,” I murmur. Grabbing my pillow and blanket, I head toward the door.
“Stop,” he calls out hoarsely.
I halt, but don’t turn. I can’t stand the look in his eyes right now.
“Don’t go,” he pleads.
My breath catches. “You need time, and I can give that to you. When you’re ready, come find me.”
I step forward.
His arms band around me from behind. “I don’t need time. I need you. In my life. In my arms.” He spins me around. “In my bed.” His mouth descends and captures mine. Desperate and needy, his lips press against mine until I can’t help but open for him.
His hands come up and cup the back of my head, holding me to him, while he pours everything he’s feeling into this kiss. His anger, the hurt, the fear of going forward, but underneath it all, is need. Hard lips relentlessly hold mine hostage while his tongue plunges into me, demanding my response.
Tears leak from the corner of my eyes at the vulnerability he’s exposing, and I immediately surrender. Matching his need with my own, I try to silently show him how much I need him, too, knowing he’s trying to find his way through the pain to me.
Desire rises swift and fast, and we strip off the barriers between us. Skin meets skin, and I gasp. He pulls me up into his arms, and I wrap my legs around him.
The kiss is never-ending. I move my head to breathe, but he immediately pulls it back to his. He shifts us both until he’s lined up and plunges into me.
