“It’s okay, Ember. I’m unable to say them any more than you want to hear them. I don’t do love anymore, Em, and it’s all his fault. He stole from me what was meant for the man who I would be with forever, and now, I have nothing.”
“That’s not true!” she insists, turning to face me.
“It is, and you need to understand why I have to disappear. Why Kol can’t have me. Once he knows the truth, he’ll want nothing to do with me anyways, and I can’t handle his rejection. Not him.” I wish I were strong enough to fight for us, but I’m not sure I am.
“That’s not true, Thea.” I shake my head. We both know it is. “Dammit. Kol! Tell her it’s not true!”
Shocked, I spin around to see Kol gripping both sides of the doorframe. His body is shaking with fury. His eyes ready to hurl daggers at anyone who gets in his way.
“Tell her!” Ember pleads with her brother, and I stand immobile, utterly surprised he’s here. That he heard me. Even if I didn’t say it outright, the implication was there, and he’s smart enough to put two and two together.
“Go downstairs, Em. Pester Noah.” My friend runs from the room after shooting me a look I’m not sure how to interpret. “Thea.” His voice is rough. Like gravel. As if he’s been screaming for days.
“Thea.” He softens his tone, and I still can’t move. I can barely breathe. When he stalks towards me like a hunter, I back up into the window, the cool pane making me shiver. “I know you’re not ready. I know you’re fragile. But, fuck, I can’t let you go. Ember’s right. Nothing will make me turn away from you.” Gently cupping my cheeks in his hands, Kol lifts my head, so I’m forced to stare up at him. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I set eyes on you, and throughout this entire year, nothing has changed except that I’ve grown to need you more.”
“You shouldn’t…”
“I should. And I will. You were hurt so badly, betrayed in the worst way, that I promise I’ll make that up to you. I swear I’ll find a way for him to pay.” He’s so resolute. Like there’s not a doubt in his mind that Richard will be held accountable for what he did. “And I’ll be here every step of the way, for everything you need or don’t need. You’re stuck with me, and short of death, there isn’t a fucking thing in this world that could make me change my mind.”
“Okay.” How am I supposed to walk out after that? My heart has taken command, and I’m forcing my mind to take the back seat because if I really ask myself what I want, the answer would be Kol in my life. He makes my heart sing. My body—broken and shattered as it is—recognizes the safety and protection he offers. The love I can see and feel waiting to be released with every look and every touch.
“Okay? That easy?” He smiles, and I drown in his eyes as he slowly lowers his head, and at the age of twenty, I experience my first kiss.
He’s soft. It’s sweet.
He holds back while begging for more, and I savor every nuance as he molds our lips together.
Kol
* * *
I want to push for more. To deepen our first connection, but I don’t want to ruin Thea’s moment of happiness. I can feel it in the way she breathes. As she holds her breath, and the small smile as our lips unite.
The way her hands flex on my forearms, I can feel her trying to pull me closer while holding me back. After hearing what she told Ember, I know I need to tread carefully with her.
“So sweet, blue eyes.” She sighs at my use of the nickname, and when her eyes open, I see hope. “How are you feeling?”
Gently licking across her lips, almost as if she were savoring our touch, her stomach growls before she can answer me. “Hungry,” she giggles.
“Noah’s downstairs. There should be some pizza left.” Grasping her hand, I walk down with her and hear Ember and Noah arguing quietly. “Everything alright?” I look between them and see Em grimacing at my partner as he smirks.
“Fine,” Ember grits out between clenched teeth. Noah’s smirk turns into a glare, and even knowing something’s up with them, I let it go.
Leading Thea over to the table, I open the box of pizza, and she grabs a slice before I can offer it to her. Sitting down, I pull the reports I had printed off towards me, waiting until Thea’s finished eating. I know she’s going to be upset about what we have to do.
“Just tell me,” she demands, obviously picking up the vibe in the room.
Blowing out a breath, I start. “We had to search your real name, Thea. What we discovered isn’t that bad.” She nods, already acknowledging, or at least suspecting, what we found. “Authorities have to wait four years before they can officially declare a person deceased. The anniversary of your disappearance is coming up, and I’d like to call Joplin P.D. and tell them we’ve found you.”
Thea is silent. Ember is not. “Kol, you can’t do that. You don’t know that it’s safe for her.”
“It’s our job, Ember,” Noah says, and she glares at him again.
“I know that, you fool. It’s abundantly clear that’s most important to you.” I sit up straighter at her words.
“Say what, now?” Ember pales. Noah appears impassive. “Is there something going on between you two?”
“Nope.” Em stands and storms out of the room.