Page 17 of Tainted Hearts

“Oh, god,” I groan, feeling mortified as my face turns a burning red.

“Yeah, like that only louder,” Libby says, then bursts into giggles.

“I’m gone. Night!” I shout, rushing out of Zed’s arms, away from the pretty vampire, and into Zed’s room. Leo is waiting for me and must have heard Libby because the fucker is laughing.

“Don’t even,” I warn before diving under the covers.

“I wouldn’t dare think of it.” He chuckles.

***

We all wake up earlythe next morning. Leo and I need to head back to my place to get showered and in new clothes. Of course, he insisted on showering together, making us really have to rush to get to school on time.

The guys were just leaving as we get out of the shower. I don’t have time to do my hair, so I toss it into a messy bun and throw on a clean uniform.

“It would be nice to be able to fly like you,” Leo huffs as he closes the car door and starts it.

“Maybe we can get some kind of spell,” I offer as we drive down to the gate.

“Ah, no thanks. I’m not messing with that shit. I’ve seen my fair share of spells and potions go wrong.”

“Good point.” I laugh. “But, if someone didn’t take his time, we wouldn’t have to rush.”

He gives me this cocky smirk that has my belly boiling. “Oh, Starbright, you loved that I took it slow. So much that you screamed my name—twice.”

I glare at him, but he’s right. The way Leo’s mouth worked my pussy in the shower had me cumming all over his face, then his cock; yeah, there’s no complaints here.

We manage to get to school on time, the bell going off just as we walk through the door to our first class.

People avoid me, no one but my friends talk to me. I don’t see anyone all morning until a jolt shoots through my body as Isaac pulls me to a stop on my way to the food court for lunch.

“Abby,” his voice sounds so broken, so defeated. He doesn’t look like the cocky asshole he normally does.

“Hey.” My body hums from his touch when he doesn’t take his hand off me.

“Can we talk?” he asks, his eyes searching my face as he waits for me to reject his request.

“What about?”

“Everything.” He takes a step forward, causing me to take one backward, my back hitting a wall. My heart starts to race as he traps me in place. Only it’s not in fear this time. Fuck, this stupid bond and my hormones sure do like to betray my body. “But first, I want to start by apologizing. I know nothing I say can take away what I did to you, how I treated you. But fuck, Abby, I’m sorry.” His voice breaks, and I’m starting to wonder if this is even Isaac.Did someone switch places with him?“I’m so damn sorry. I let my own bullshit turn me into a shitty person, and I took it out on you. I blamed you for anything and everything I could think of. Whatever made it easier to hate you. The only thing was, I don't think I ever truly hated you. I wanted to. So damn bad. But it was pointless. Then I found out we were mates and that really fucked with my head. Every time I pushed you away, I wanted to pull you into my arms. Every time I called you nasty names, I wanted to tell you how much I wanted you.” He pauses looking away from me, his jaw clenching. “You deserve better than me. I’m broken, Abby. I’m fucked up.” He looks at me again, and I almost gasp at the emotion in his eyes. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you're my mate. I need you. You had every right to reject me. But I’m not lying when I say that it’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt.”

That has tears forming in my eyes because, if that’s true, if being rejected hurt more than his dad putting his hands on him, then it must have been bad. Did he hurt more than I did? Being the one who was rejected versus the one who did the rejecting, does it change the level of pain?

Guilt hits me with the knowledge that I added to the torture he had to endure alongside what his dad did to him. “I’m sorry.” I find myself being the one to apologize.

“No,” he says firmly, shaking his head. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I deserved it. Every little bit of it. But I’m promising you now, Abby; no more, I will never treat you like that again.” He raises his hand, like he wants to touch me but thinks better of it, and lets his hand fall to his side. “Can we start over? Please?”

My eyes lock with his for what feels like forever as I take in the broken boy before me. “Okay.” I nod. “But know this is the only chance you get. If you do something as bad as you’ve done before, I don’t think I could ever forgive you again, for any of it.”

His whole face lights up, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile like this. So big, so bright and genuine. “I won’t. I promise, I won't. I’m going to show you, Abby. Show you that I’m sorry, that I can be a better man. For not only you, but for Noah and Luke too. You all deserve better than what I’ve given you. I don’t deserve you, none of you. I will do whatever I can in my power to keep you.”

“One day at a time,” is all I say back.

He gives me one firm nod. “One day at a time.”

“We better get going,” I tell him, my stomach growling.

“Right. Food,” he says, taking a step back.

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