Page 121 of Mistaken Prejudice

I doubted that, although neither he nor his friends had bothered us since that night in our old school. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did.

The most surprising thing was that none of them reported us. Diesel gave them a concussion and a few broken bones, yet they stayed silent. Despite being the first to act by taking Jess, they could have easily put the blame on the four new kids with the criminal record.

“Let’s not talk about him. He isn’t worth it,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant my words. Since I met Miles, I’d felt insecure about Shay-Lee. I hated to admit it, but it was the truth. Shay-Lee made me doubt myself, but not anymore. After everything that went on, the jealousy and insecurities he made me feel were gone.

“Yeah, I agree. He isn’t worth the air we breathe.” He smiled and stepped closer. “Andrei, I’m sorry I made you go through this. What I did, or more likely almost did. It was a decision I made in a moment of irrationality. I don’t feel that way, not now.

“I’m on new medication that seems to help, and I see my therapist almost daily. I’m doing a lot better, but I still have a long way to go, so again, I don’t know where we stand, but if you want to back away—”

“I love you,” I said quietly, cutting off his words. I wanted to kiss him but didn’t want to do anything that could make him feel uncomfortable.

“You do?” he asked, his brows curved and his bottom lip trembling.

“Yeah, baby. I love you so much that it hurts.” I chuckled. “And I’m here to stay. Not going anywhere unless you tell me to—”

It was his turn to shut me up, only his way was much better, by sealing my mouth with his. The sweet taste of his lips, the flowery scent of his body. Everything about him was so overwhelming and good.

I opened my mouth, and he deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue and tasting me. I wished my left hand were healed, so I could have captured him with both my hands. Since it wasn’t, I used my right one to grab his face and tilt it a bit so I’d have a better angle. I nibbled on his bottom lip, eagerly moving on to his jaw with hunger and—

“Euh.” Someone cleared their throat, and we both turned to see Elliot leaning against the sliding door that led to Miles’s room.

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Miles chuckled with my hand still cupping his face.

“I will wait for you inside.” Elliot beamed before disappearing back into the room.

“Sex is a bit off-limits for the time being. You know, nothing too stimulating.” Miles filled in the information with a half-apologetic, half-embarrassed look on his face. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, it’s okay.” I smiled and sealed the deal with a small kiss to his nose. “One hundred percent okay.”

“Do you want to stay here tonight?” Miles asked, his cheeks flushed, and I remembered the first time we kissed, surrounded by waves. Look how far they carried us.

“Is it okay if I do?”

“Don’t worry, Andrei. It will be a sleep party of three, d’accord?” Elliot called from inside the room, making it clear he was listening to each and every word.

“Papa,” Miles whined.

“Oh, should I ask your dad to join us? Mon amour, we are having a sleep party tonight! With Andrei.”

“It’s a sleepover, not a sleep party,” Miles called out and chuckled before he turned to look at me.

His crystal eyes sparkled under the sunlight, and the trace of his amusement adorned his features, making him appear like a dream. My dream.

“You sure you want to be a part of this?” he asked, not understanding the depth of his simple question.

I’d never been more sure of something in my life before. I wanted to be a part of Miles and that he’d be a part of me. Who was I lying to? He was already an integral part of my soul. He became one the first time he sent a smile my way. Back then, it was meant to be a flirt. A small swell in an unknown ocean. Only that it came with a force that turned it into a wave. A tsunami of emotions, feelings, and new beginnings that changed my life completely. My mistake was thinking so casually of it.

I cupped his face with my palm and pressed our lips together in a kiss that might have been gentle but not simple. It was a kiss that held my love for him and my confidence in our future. A small gesture that sealed the deal between us.

I pushed back just a bit so I could finally answer his question.

“Yes, Zaychik. I’m sure.”

Chapter 38

Miles

A week before Christmas, I invited a few friends for lunch. I helped Papa in the kitchen, and we cooked a big meal for everyone. Since returning home from the hospital, I’d spent a lot of time in the kitchen. I always found cooking to be something I liked, but now it was so much more than just a hobby. It was a therapy of sorts for Papa and me.