Page 142 of Sweetheart: Part One

“Tell me what you need,” I murmured, drawing her against me, thumb brushing her cheek tenderly. A thunder clap shook the house and she whimpered, legs tangling around my waist and her arms around my neck.

Perfect.

The second truth was my clear solution, because Vex, it seemed, was terrified of storms.

I wove my fingers through her hair, holding her close. “I’ve got you, Vex.” I promised. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

THIRTY-SIX

I’ve got you, Vex.

I’ll

always

keep

you

safe.

VEX

“Where are we going?” I asked, unsure.

I’d been holding onto Ebony too long, and it felt like he was scaling steps beneath us.

In a moment of fear, I’d done something I knew to my core was foolish: I’d believed him. He said he’d protect me, and I wanted that to be true so badly that I was holding onto him for dear life.

And then his reply found me, shattering the hope I’d so stupidly clung to. “The roof.”

He was still scaling steps, and suddenly I could hear the thundering of furious rain.

Fuck.

“N-no… Why?”

“I’d like to storm watch with you.”

“I… can’t.”

“Why ever not, little Sweetheart?” he asked, and finally the kindness had dropped from his voice.

Shit…

I had to come clean.

The sound of the storm was so close, it was sending me into a panic.

He could use it against me, but that was irrelevant now, since he already wanted to go up there. “I uh…” I cleared my throat, leaning back and trying to look him in the eyes, but he held me tight against his chest as I was forced to confess into his shirt. “I’m nervous in storms.”

“Nervous?”

“I can’t go out there.”

Finally, he loosened his grip, and I drew back. His head was cocked, a predatory look in his eyes. “A bit of nerves never killed anyone.”

“I’m scared of them, alright? I c-can’t go out there.”

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