The air stilled around us. Everything was frozen. The wind didn’t rustle the leaves. The stars didn’t glimmer above our heads. Gemma and I locked eyes. My fingers ached to dip underneath her tank top. My mouth begged to be on her warm skin. The perfect bow shape that her lips made opened as a soft breath floated around me. My head dipped down, sweat coating my back even though the night was chilly. My veins flooded with need and pumped blood to every secret spot in my body that only she seemed to bring to life. Our breath mingled as she pressed into my chest. But no.
She meant too much.
I’d already hurt her.
My father’s hands had been on her. He’d pushed her to her knees and gripped her hair like she was nothing more than a little rag-doll.
I let out a sigh and removed my hands. Her tank top went back down and covered her warm, soft skin. I took one step back, then another, and I felt the cold distance shifting into place. The line was drawn once again.
Gemma pushed off the tree angrily and walked over to her bundled up jacket that was thrown off to the side. I blinked, keeping my face unmoving, wondering if my best friends had taken that piece of clothing off her so they could touch her more.
Although I didn’t want to admit it, jealousy was eating me alive. I trusted them, and I believed their excuse as to why things were heated when I had walked up. Gemma confirmed as much.
But she wasn’t theirs to touch.
She wasn’t my father’s to touch either.
Or mine.
When Gemma began to push past me, I grabbed onto her arm and stopped her.
Dark strands of her hair whipped around her face as her stare grew fiery. Good. She was still angry. I needed her to keep that wall up so neither one of us was tempted to cross the line again, but there was something on the tip of my tongue that I couldn’t swallow. “I’m sorry you had to see that side of my father. I’m sorry he pushed you to your knees and threatened you.”
That bright, forest-destroying fire grew wilder in her eye. “It’s not the first time I’ve been shoved to my knees, Isaiah.” Then, she peeled my fingers off her arm and kept walking toward the Covens as I stood there with my fists clenched by my side, ready to plow down any mother-fucker who even came close to pushing her down again.