Page 147 of The Kiss Of Death
His pale complexion was marred by dark, angry bruises. He had them because of me, from the night he got into a fight on New Year’s Eve. I wanted to make him pay. To hurt him. But the purplish hues beneath his eyes hurt every fiber in me.
His gaze locked with mine, drawing me into the swirling depths of his gray eyes. In their obscurity, I felt myself drowning, gasping for air. The shattered fragments of my heart seemed to echo his unyielding stare, each beat of it reverberating against my ribs like a relentless drum. His cheeks were even more hollow than usual.
We collided, crossing each other side by side, and the urgency to escape his piercing gaze intensified. I raced up the stairs, desperate to escape before I crumbled in front of him.
Reaching the top, I sought refuge behind a nearby column, stealing a furtive glance back at him. He didn’t move, his gaze still upstairs. I closed my eyes. He was tearing me apart. It felt like a piece of my soul had been violently ripped away. With hurried steps, I rushed down the halls as if his memory was chasing me, haunting me at every turn.
Finally reaching my bedroom door, I flung it open and was greeted by Baron, squirming and rubbing himself against my feet. I scooped him into my arms and crushed him close to my chest, even though he wasn’t into hugs. I missed him and Yasmine, who was in the midst of reorganizing her library shelf, creating an empty space in two rows, with some of her books tossed in a corner.
I parted my lips; something must have happened.
She glanced over her shoulder at me and quickly positioned herself in front of the shelf, shielding it with her outstretched arms. “It was supposed to be a surprise. I’m not done!”
“A surprise, but…” I placed a hand over my heart. Behind her, I noticed pictures of us illuminated by twinkling bulbs. She had also crafted a book nook for our dorm. My chin quivered,and I felt my voice faltering. “You made a place for me in your library.”
“Well, yes… You showed me how to start living aside from fiction, and you…” She frowned. “Are you about to cry?”
I leaped into her arms. Baron jumped down as a three-person hug proved too much for him. “Of course not.” I squeezed her tighter. “Thank you so much.”
“I’m glad you’re that happy.” She gasped for breath under my embrace. “Also, you’ve got quite the strength.”
“Sorry.” I pulled away, wiping a tear from my eye. “I felt like I needed a hug.”
I thought I could come back and avoid Levi, but it would be harder than I thought. I could deal with ignoring my father and refusing to talk to him unless he told the truth to everyone, but Levi would always have an impact on me.
“I feel you. My Christmas holiday was horrible.” Yas sighed. “I was showing off my archery skills, and Tara completely humiliated me by proving she was better than me again. I lost it, tired of her bullying me and being goddamn hard on me. I’m pretty sure I called her a mean bitch.” She faked a smile, swallowing. “Since then, we haven’t talked. It’s not like she ever cared about me, right?”
I stroke her arm. “Don’t say that. She’s your sister. She’ll come back eventually.”
“You don’t know Tara.” She laughed. “She’s coldhearted. Anyway… There’s something for you on your bed.”
She pointed at a small box resting on my bed.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know. It was here when I arrived.”
I grabbed it, lifted the lid, and discovered a handwritten note nestled inside.Even his handwriting is gorgeous.My heart stirred, reading his words.
Your mom believed a ribbon represented the link between two beings. My mother believed colors were emotions. Each day, I’ll send you a ribbon of a different color. I’ll never stop. PS: There are 16.7 million colors, so that should keep me occupied.
I pulled out the silver-gray satin ribbon from the box. Delicate diamonds adorned its edges, catching the light like stars in the night sky. It was more than beautiful—it was a piece of magic, one of the most exquisite ribbons I had ever owned.That’s why he was on the stairs earlier.He left this for me. I pressed it tightly to my chest because it felt like holding on to the love Levi would never be able to give me.
I felt Yas’s hand on my shoulder behind me. “Do you want to tell me what happened between you and Levi?”
Shaking my head, I discarded the ribbon in the trash. “It hurts too much.”
I brushed away the tear sliding down my cheek. I had to stay hopeful and see the positive light piercing through the darkest sky. Always.
I reached into my bag and pulled out a rare edition ofPride and Prejudice, handing it to Yasmine. “This is for you.” Then I retrieved some catnip and crouched next to Baron. “And for you, sir.”
“I think I’m going to marry you!” Yas smelled the book pages like an addict. “How did you find this beauty?”
“It was my mom’s,” I said, a fragile smile tugging at the corners of my lips. It was the first time in days I could mention her out loud without crying.
Yas seized my hand and nodded. “You want to tell me more about her?”
“She wanted me more than anything, Yas. She was Lucie’s best friend, and…” I smiled through my blurry vision. “She defied the rules to help a friend. I think she wanted to make adifference in this world; she was kind but she also was fierce. No one but Lucie and I saw that side of her. I know I’ll make her proud, Yas. I’ll never let those who take her life away win.”
