Page 67 of Cursed to Be Mine
Ma is dead. I keep walking.
Werewolves are real. I don’t stop.
They’re probably coming after me too. I move faster,purpose filling my strides as we enter the elevator.
I need to find Derek.
I need him to teach me how to kill the fuckers because I don’t want to turn out like my ma inanyway.
The elevator doors ping shut.
I hate you, Ma.
When we enter the police station, my eyes are red-rimmed but dry, my voice sore but no longer cracking. Khalid’s fingers are still wrapped around mine, but I don’t need his strength anymore.
I just need to get this over with so I can cut her out of my life for good.
Vlad walks up to us before we can reach the front desk, his thick body tight beneath his blue button shirt and gray slacks. A scowl mars his masculine face.
“Ms. Davis,” Vlad says, his tone bordering on rude. A few hours ago, I would have ducked my head beneath his withering gaze. Now I just stare blankly at him. His eyes narrow. “Nice of you to finally show up. If you will come with me.”
He turns without waiting for an answer, then stumbles a step with a small hiss. My feet stay rooted. The woman at the front desk says, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
I want to tell her I don’t care. Ma abused me all my life, and just because she’s dead doesn’t mean I should be sad.
But I don’t. I simply pull Khalid after Vlad. The chatter of the police station starts to fade as he leads us away from the public side of the building, down to themedical examiner’s room. A cold hall stretches in front of us, only a few marks down from clinical.
Near the end of the corridor, Vlad stops beside a door. He pulls it open when we get close, allowing us to enter first. My legs freeze, my anger suddenly fleeing in the face of seeing Ma on a slab. Once I go in, it’ll be final.
I’ll be completely alone – a terrifying reality I suffered years of abuse just to avoid.
Moving in front of me, Khalid cups my non-bruised cheek as his eyes search mine. “If you need to go –”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s not that. I just… She’s all I have –had.”
His gaze softens. His thumb brushes across my skin. “You’ll always have me,kira.”
My pulse skitters when he tilts my head back. His eyes bore into mine with a promised future I can almost see. My breath rushes out of me, and I want so hard to believe him. Dropping my gaze, I focus on the red circles on his neck.
Mine.
They’re my marks. He held my head against his throat, groaning and growing hard beneath me.Wanting me.
His wordsarea promise. I feel that deep in my bones. My chest expands with more than air.
When I lift my eyes, his are hot and fastened on my lips. I suck in a breath as he leans in.
“We don’t have all day,” Vlad snaps. Then grunts.
I start to pull away from Khalid in embarrassment, but his hand holds me there, and my whole body stills, my lungs included. His mouth closes on mine, andfuck,I learn the real definition ofmine.
His lips are firm and possessive, a mark of claimthat doesn’t hesitate to take. His tongue pushes inside, not softly exploring but boldly staking. Jolts of pleasure skitter down my spine as he takes his time kissing me.
My cheeks burn with the knowledge of where we are, of what I’m about to do, but I don’t pull back. Ma has taken so much happiness from me. I won’t give her Khalid too. Won’t give her the first man who actually looks at me like I’m worthy of being loved.
His breath fills my lungs as he growls a noise that only belongs in the bedroom. I jerk away on a gasp, desire for wicked things flooding me as my eyes fly open to meet his. A cocky smile curls one corner of his lips as he holds my gaze, letting me know it wasn’t my imagination.
My cheeks on fire, I clear my throat and drop my gaze to his chest, not daring to look lower. Yesterday, I never would have made out with someone in public.Who wants to see that, Gen?
