Page 115 of The Forbidden
“I don’t give a fuck about anyone else. I only care about you.” He brushes my nose with his, then pulls back to look at me. “Does this mean you forgive me?” His voice is filled with hope.
Biting down on my bottom lip, I nod. “Yes.”
His eyes squeeze closed for a brief moment before popping open. His expression is one of pure relief. “Thank fuck for that,” he mutters. “Because plan B was a little less…smooth. It involvedAnaisnappingand locking you in my apartment until you agreed to be mine again.” The serious look on his face tells me he isn’t joking. I laugh, shaking my head. “I fucking love you, Brat,” he growls, pressing a quick hard kiss to my lips, and I sigh, finally feeling like everything is right in my world.
Evan climbs to his feet, bringing me with him and wrapping me in his arms as he buries his face in my neck and breathes me in. Contentment fills me as I embrace him, something I haven’t felt since the moment I walked out of my brother’s apartment.
I’m finally home.
“Anais!” The frantic voice breaks through our bubble, making my blood turn to ice in my veins.
My head whips around trying to find the source of panic.
“What the fuck?” Evan growls, and I turn in his arms, following his line of sight to… Jarrod?
Jarrod, who is charging toward us, but that’s not what alarms me the most. No. It’s the knife he’s wielding in his hands.
“No.” I choke out as Evan takes a protective stance in front of me.
“Stay the fuck back,” Evan roars.
Pure fear washes over me. Evan is bigger than my classmate in both height and muscle but still, Jarrod has a knife.
Screams erupt around us, terrified of the man with a weapon, but I tune them out, my gaze locked on the unhinged man coming toward us.
“She’s mine!” he shouts, lifting the knife in the air, ready to pounce.
I pause. One heartbeat. Two. Everything clicks into place like a puzzle piece. The attack. Appearing out of nowhere. The feeling of being watched.
It was him. Jarrod.
Then, as if time stands still, everything happens in slow motion.
Evan lunges at Jarrod, who lifts his arm, ready to plunge the knife into the man I love.
I will not let that happen.
I don’t think. I move, throwing myself between them just as Jarrod plunges the knife down. Excruciating pain explodes in my thigh, my vision turning fuzzy as I fall to the ground.
“Fuck,” I choke out, my eyes squeezing shut as white hot agony burns through me.
“Anais,” a familiar terrified voice shouts, dropping down beside me. “Jesus fucking Christ, what did you do? Lana, call 911!” he barks.
“I’m on it.” My best friend’s voice trembles.
“Keep the motherfucker restrained,” Evan demands. To who, I’m not sure.
“The knife,” I croak, glancing down at the weapon lodged in my leg.
“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay baby.” Evan soothes, stroking my hair back and pressing kisses over my face.
“Don’t remove it. She’ll bleed out.” Lana says through a sob.
“I fucking know that,” Evan snaps, removing his hands from me to release his belt. “Where the fuck is the ambulance?”
“Two minutes away.” Lana goes quiet before speaking once more. “She asked if she’s breathing.”
“Of course, she’s fucking breathing. Do you think I would be this calm if she wasn’t?” Evan barks, then pauses. “It’s shallow,” he adds, softer this time, wrapping his belt around my thigh and tightening it. “Who the hell is that guy?”
