Page 16 of Storm's Deliverance

H: Behind the water stand.

I frown and look up, seeing Drix stood there, his cell in his hand as he types.

H: Come here.

I huff and roll my eyes, typing a reply.

S: I need a drink of water.

H: I have an entire case of it.

I look up and see Drix lift a case of water. I slide my cell back into my pocket and make my way over to him. When I get near him, he grabs my wrist firmly and spins me around until my back is against the stand. He pins me with his body; it happens in a blur, so quick before I could even process what is happening. His blue eyes search mine before crashing his mouth to mine. My entire body tenses, shocked, but as his soft lips caress mine, my body relaxes into him. My eyes close as I kiss him back. A low moan erupts from him as I stroke my tongue against his. I’m lost to him; the world around us has faded away. His scent, his touch, has me utterly consumed.

Zeke, you’re with Zeke. This is wrong.That thought crashes through my mind, reminding me what a huge mistake this is. I break the kiss, pushing on his chest; his gaze is molten, the blue in his eyes now deeper in colour. I cup my face before looking at him. “No, no, this isn’t right. It’s wrong. I love Zeke. And you. You, well, you are you. Fuck!” I hiss, gripping my hair.

“He isn’t right for you,” he argues.

I glare at him. “I don’t need your opinion. Why would you kiss me? I don’t feel for you like that,” I counter, but even as I say the words I know they’re not entirely truthful.

“Bullshit. I’ve seen the way you look at me, the way you lean into me, the way you just kissed me back,” he argues.

I fold my arms across my chest, heat, anger and defiance bubbling in my veins. “Do not tell me what I do or do not feel!” I snap. He just smirks, his eyes sparking. Oh, he did not just smirk at me. “I’m fucking serious, Drix!” I seethe. “I love Zeke, and I am happy with Zeke. I choose him, not you, and just because that kiss was good?—”

“Please, baby, it was better than good.” He laughs arrogantly.

I arch my brow. “I’ve had better,” I counter.

His eyes narrow on me. “You’re lying.”

I am. The kiss was incredible, and I felt it everywhere. Like hell am I going to admit that to him.“Am I?” I shrug, keeping my expression casual and unphased.

“I’ve known you your entire life. I know when you’re lying,” he points out.

I divert the topic away from the kiss. “Whatever, I want Zeke. I am with Zeke. This was a blip.”

“A blip?” he repeats back.

“Yes, a blip, a zip, a teeny tiny whoopsie daisy. Because we are close, so close that it could have been incestuous,” I rant.

His brows furrow. “You kiss Enzo like that?”

My face scrunches up in disgust. “No, of course I don’t. God just thought of it…” I begin retching. “Oh god, why would you put that thought in my head?” I gasp, fighting the urge to throw up.

He steps forward once again, crowding my space and caging me in. I tilt my head back, just as he tucks my hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing around the back of my neck, giving me a firm but gentle squeeze. He leans in as if he’s going to kiss me again. Instead, he presses his lips to my temple. I close my eyes at the tenderness.

“One day you will realise that this—us—is meant to happen. I just hope you don’t realise it too late,” he rasps before walking away, leaving me leaning against the drinks truck. As I watch him walking away, a tiny part of me wonders if he’s right.

“Everything okay?” Zeke’s voice makes me jump, and I look to the left, seeing him stood there.

“Jesus, you scared the crap out of me.” I laugh, placing my palm over my erratic heart.

“You were gone a long time getting water. I figured you got lost,” he says, his voice cold and sharp.Had he seen?

I clear my throat and shake my head. “No. Just the queue was so long, and I was feeling a little dizzy, so I just needed a minute,” I lie. I’m a horrible, horrible girlfriend.

He eyes assess me before looking past me. “Is that what Hendrix was doing? Helping? While you felt dizzy?” Each word stabs like a jagged-edged blade.

“Zeke,” I begin, but he holds up his hand, pain and anger dancing across his eyes. My heart sinks, and my gut swarms with unimaginable guilt. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my eyes brimming with tears.

“Stop,” he bites. “Message your fucking family and tell them you no longer need a ride home, because we are making our own way home.”

I nod and wipe away a single escaped tear. I pull out my cell and send a quick text to Enzo. Once it’s sent, Zeke takes my cell and places it in his back pocket. I open my mouth to protest, but I get it. He will need to see that it was just a kiss and nothing more. He probably thinks we’ve been having a secret affair behind his back. I need to convince him it was nothing more than a kiss, that I’m sorry, and beg for his forgiveness.

Zeke steps towards me, his eyes blazing with boiling anger; anger I’ve never seen in him before. His hand firmly grabs my jaw, enough to make me wince. “You fucking disgust me,” hespits. His cell pings and he looks at it, releasing his grip on my face. The hairs on the back on my neck stand on end as he places his cell in his back pocket, his glacial gaze returning to me. “Our ride is here.”