Page 34 of Cuffed By Love

I just want to scream.As long and loud as my lungs would allow. What is this boy trying to do to me? He’s right, though. I couldn’t lie to him. He always saw straight through whatever bullcrap I was trying to feed him and called me out on it—much like he is right now.

Bastard.

I can tell you for certain one thing that hasn’t changed about Devin King—his bullheadedness. We’ve both always been headstrong, well, him more than me, and over the years, we clashed over it. However, when Devin gets his claws into something, you better believe he will not let it go until he gets the answer he’s looking for.

And there it is. That determination simmering in his eyes while we’re stood intently staring at one another. My stomach flips when he looks at me like that, and I lose all train of thought.

Cut it out Mira, he just said he’s got a girlfriend.

When I heard him say that he’s in a relationship, it cut me deeper than I ever imagined. I only pray that I managed to play it off like I didn’t care because I did. It’s been a week, and there’s been no mention of a girlfriend. Why wouldn’t he mention her before now? I’m not a jealous person. I’ve never been the type to be envious of anyone. Still, the girl that gets to have Dev, to call him hers, to touch and kiss him is surely deserving of my envy because she gets to have what was once almost mine. I need to keep my guard up because if I let it slip, even a little, he will worm his way in and I’ll be right where I was ten years ago—heartbroken and devastated.

I gave Dev my everything. My heart, my body and my very soul, and he ruined me.

Not this time. I’ve got this. I’m a big girl, and I’ve suffered through worse. No one can protect my heart but me, so I will. I’m determined this time to give it to a worthy person, someone who will cherish it and treat me as I deserve. Until that person decides to come along, my frail heart will remain locked away where it’s safe.

“Devin, you’ve been gone a long time. What exactly were you expecting when you came back here? Were you hoping that we would just jump back into being the way we used to be? If you did, then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not going to happen.”

Devin’s brows knit tightly as he watches me closely. “Tinks, obviously I didn’t come back expecting everything would be just as it was, but I’m struggling to understand why you’re being so cold and hostile toward me?”

“I’m not being anything toward you!”

“Yes, you are!” Devin retorts hotly. “We used to bicker all the time, but you’ve never been like this. Even through all the countless arguments we had growing up, and we had plenty, you were never this distant. So, what the fuck gives?”

“What gives?” I croon heatedly. “Are you kidding me? I haven’t seen you in ten bloody years, Devin. One day you show up out of the blue, and I’m supposed to be all chummy with you? We’ve grown apart. It happens when people go an entire decade without seeing one another.” I explain and attempt to turn and pick up the plates, but he pulls on my arm, and I’m yet again forced to face him.

Damn these cuffs to hell.

I massage my temples jadedly, dropping my gaze to stare down at my feet. I was feeling so frustrated, and all I wanted to do was storm off, but that wasn’t really an option. “Tinks, people who have as much history as we do, don’t just simply grow apart.”

I cock my head to the right and look at him incredulously, “I beg to differ.”

Devin’s lip quirks, and he smirks haughtily despite his very apparent frustration. His jaw clenches and unclenches with his growing agitation. I see it as clear as day, emanating in those bright and endless brown eyes that make me want to melt. He swipes his tongue across his bottom lip, the corners of his eyes crinkle whilst he stares at me astutely. “Oh, you do? So, you’re just going to disregard the last twenty years?”

I scoff and avert my gaze from his. “Eleven, actually. You’ve been gone for nine, so they don’t really count.” I correct him.

Devin takes hold of my chin and turns me to face him again. “That’s very precise for someone who claims to not give a shit.”

I bat his hand away from my face with a huff. “Says the one who didn’t even care to mention that he has a girlfriend back home.”

Devin chuckles indignantly, “Right. Excuse me for not sharing every detail of my life with you whilst you’re busy veering me at every possible opportunity.” He retorts. “Besides, I don’t recall you dishing out any information about your love life—or anything at all for that matter, Tinks.”

“What’s there to share,” I reply with an offhanded shrug which seems to annoy him further.

“You tell me,” Devin utters, observing me closely while I pick up the plates, one at a time to scrape the leftover food as a distraction and a desperate attempt to avoid looking at him. “In nine years, surely you must have something to share?”

I sigh heavily and pull him toward the sink. Devin leans against the counter, waiting patiently for an answer. I don’t understand what it is he wants to hear from me.

“In comparison with yours, my life is rather lacklustre. I went to Oxford University, worked my butt off for two years to get my MBA whilst working at Evans and King part-time.”

“That’s it?”

I rinse off the plate, keeping my eyes cast down. “That’s it,” I mumble, handing him the clean plate which he takes. “Like I said, nothing exciting to share.”

“Still as stubborn as ever.” Devin sighs while drying the plate and gives me a side-eye stare.

I smirk and hand him another plate. “Right back at you.”

Once the dishes were done, and the kitchen was tidy, we head back upstairs to my bedroom. It was almost midnight, and I was fried and ready for bed. We stand side by side in my en-suite bathroom, attempting to brush our teeth. It’s a simple enough task, right? Wrong. Not when you’re handcuffed to a muscular yet very sexy giant who insists on making things ten times more difficult than it has to be. “Devin!” I sputter hotly when he yanks on my arm, and I drop my toothbrush.

---