Page 16 of She will Always be Mine

“Baby,” I soothingly whisper while tightening my arms around her, protectiveness chasing away my anger, knowing she needs me.

Her tears always used to sate the animal in me and now, I hate them more than anything in this world. A close second to my hatred for my aunt. I shouldn’t have left her alone with her mom.

My hands ball into fists at the thought of Nyra going back home with her because I won’t be able to protect her, just like I couldn’t protect her last night. If she raised her hand against her daughter once, she’ll do it again. The thought alone sends me into a tailspin.

In my haze, I don’t realize I’m crushing her too hard in my arms until she looks up at me through blurry brown eyes.

I push her hair away from her face and cup her cheek, breathing easy when she allows me to do this instead of pulling away. I swipe the remnants of her tears away with my knuckles even though my gaze remains stuck on the marks.

“If it was anybody else, I would have cut their hands off. Followed by a slow, tortuous death,” I threaten. “She’s lucky she’s your mom, because it’s the only reason she’s still breathing.”

I feel her shudder under my fingertips as she stutters, “Yo—you can’t just say that, Riaan.”

“It’s the truth.”

“You’re not going to hurt her. Promise me.” When I don’t, she fists my collar and shakes me. “Say it. You’re scaring me.”

“I won’t make a promise I know I’ll break if she so much as lays a finger on you again.”

“She’s my mother.”

“And you belong to me.”

“Stop being so unhinged, Riaan,” she snaps, and her voice lowers to nothing but a whisper. If I wasn’t standing so close, I probably wouldn’t have heard her next words. “Why can’t you just let me go?”

“It’s impossible,” I answer anyway, leaning down until our foreheads touch. “I always knew loving you wouldn’t be easy, but I made a vow. To love you, to protect you, to fight for us and above all, and to never let you go.”

Her heart beats in harmony with mine as she utters, “Loving me will destroy you.”

“If it means you’ll stay, then wreck me all you want, baby,” I whisper back.

For a few lingering seconds, our eyes remain locked as we breathe each other in and soak in each other’s warmth. Hope rises inside my chest that maybe I got through to her.

I’m waiting and longing to hear her say we’ll fight this storm together, but all too soon, a shadow casts over her face and I just know… I lost her.

This time when she pushes at my chest, I step away from her.

Because each time she rejects my love, it hurts and burns worse than the last.

Each time she denies me the truth, my heart gets cold.

We don’t deserve to part like this and yet for the life of me, I cannot understand why she’s doing this. I know her better than anyone else and her unexpectedly pulling away from me is raising red flags, and I feel a sinking feeling deep in my core.

More than anything, she’s protective and fierce, so something huge can only make her react this way. Or maybe someone. Whoever it is, they have sunk their claws in too deep.

But who is she protecting.

Is it herself? Or me?

If Nyra won’t confess, then I have other ways that are darker and more persuasive. When it comes to her, there are no lines I wouldn’t cross. Worlds I wouldn’t tear apart. I won’t stop until I have uncovered every single piece she’s holding close to her heart.

I also know that as long as she is here, she will be holding me back. My mind and heart will always be stuck on her. I need distance. And when the time comes, I’ll finally claim and own her in front of the entire world.

Until she’s finallymine.

Chapter Six

NYRA

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