Chapter 91 Fever bound
1272words
I only remember this day because not an hour later, after this photo was taken, I slipped and fell and broke my arm.
It was the first time I broke anything, and at that age, the experience was quite traumatic.
"I don't understand why they have a picture of me when I was five." I sat shoulder to shoulder next to Kayn on his bed, a frown marring my face. "I mean, if they were after me right now, it would make more sense if they had a more recent pic."
"Yeah, it's kind of weird." Kayn sported a frown of his own. "Maybe it's the only one of you they could find?"
"They'd have had to dig hard to get this one, Kayn," I said. "Because this was taken with a disposable. Not digital. This is the only copy we have."
Come to think of it, I planned on checking Mom's albums for this picture. "I don't know, this is just not right. Something about this is off."
Kayn massaged his jaw. "I'm not going to lie, this is dodgy. Are you sure your mom wasn't in contact with the AOUB before now, when you were a kid? Maybe there's some other explanation as to how it got there."
"Unless Janice got hold of it recently and it was the best she could get?" There were so many possibilities lingering around this picture.
"Unless she's been following you since then?" Kayn suggested.
I peered up at him. "But why? I wasn't in contact with any of you back then. Or with any merfolk for that matter. What would she want with me?"
"Maybe it has something to do with your mom and her crazy obsession with my kind?"
I frowned. "Actually, that sounds possible. We're probably getting worked up for nothing." Yet, the unsettled feeling kept growing inside my chest.
"A lot has happened the past few weeks. It only makes sense for us to be on edge," he shrugged. "I think the best we can do is keep a close eye on the AOUB and their movement. Most importantly, I want to know why the hell she has a picture of my sister and of you."
"I'd like to know too."
"Enough of this now. We can worry about it later." Kayn took the photo of the five-year-old me and dumped it onto the stack of photos, and turned to face me. "So, we have other things to discuss too."
"Like what?" My brow arched, but inside my chest, my heart picked up its pace. I had a strong feeling where this conversation was heading.
It was the one I wanted to avoid with a vengeance.
"About us," he said. "I—"
"There's no us, Kayn. There will never be an us." I avoided his intent gaze. "Even if there was ever the slight chance I might learn to like you, it will never happen. I'm not willing to risk everyone I care about."
"Might like me?" he mused. "The last time I kissed you, you didn't react like someone who disliked me as much as you claim."
"I was caught off guard." Heat blossomed on my cheeks at the thought of that memory. "I don't like you like that. Not after the shitty way you treated me, regardless of your reasons. You could have told me and I wouldn't have gone near you. Like I'm trying now, staying away from all of you."
"Really? Who's sitting on my bed, then?" he quipped.
"I'm not here by choice. You told me you had something important to show me."
"True, but you could have turned me down like you never do." I turned to glare at him, only to find him offering me a toothy smile.
"I've turned you down plenty of times. Don't get me started," I huffed. "The point is, Kayn, this will never work. You're too full of yourself, you're a jackass, and you're not worth risking my life, or my family's life, for."
"Ouch. That's not nice." My heart dropped to see genuine hurt crossing his features. But, being Kayn, it lasted a second before a grin cracked on his lips. "I bet I can prove you wrong, again."
"Forget it." Panic kicked into gear, and I quickly got onto my feet, ready to bolt for the door, when Kayn's hand looped around my arm and tugged me back down.
"Seriously, Kayn, you are such a—"
His mouth crashed onto mine, and I was lost, tasting my hurtful lie fading between our lips. This kiss, just like the last, was steeped in a passion that ignited.
It promised eternity, of a primal desire I didn't know I felt somewhere deep inside me. Without thinking, my hands clasped at the back of his neck, pulling him closer. At that moment, I forgot about everything.
I forgot how dangerous this kiss was, of how much I was risking allowing myself to fall for him. I didn't even care for a blissful second about how badly he treated me.
I did, however, think of all the times he saved me, of my birthday, and most importantly how damn good it felt to be in his arms. I didn't—"
The bedroom door cracked open, and it was the quickest I shoved him away and jumped up onto my feet. "You just don't get it, do you?" I snapped, glancing toward the door to find there was no one there.
It must have been the wind.
"No, I really don't." He reached for me again, and I slapped away his hand.
"I said no. Just knock it off," I breathed, trying not to focus on how much my cheeks were burning. "Stop trying to make something work that will never work. How can you even risk this? What about your family, if you don't even want to bother considering mine?"
"I thought about it. I suffered many sleepless nights because of it." He got up, towering over me. "But I know we can make it work without ever getting caught."
My heart fluttered, but I refused to acknowledge it too much or what it meant. "I don't want to be with you," I bit out.
"Really?" A dark brow of his quirked. "You have a funny way of showing it."
"Because you're making it confusing," I half-shouted, my fists clenched by my sides.
"Yeah?" He poked me against the chest. "This little bind thing we've got, it doesn't lie, as much as you'd like to delude yourself into believing."
"Maybe you just don't know the difference between emotions. Have you thought about that?"
"I'm starting to think you don't know the difference," he snorted. "You can only deny what you feel so many times, or convince yourself otherwise so many times until you crack."
"I don't care what you think. I know for a fact I don't want anything to do with you, or your crap. I'm only here because I don't have any other choice. Once this evening is over, I'm out of here."
"You forgot about the part where you agreed you'd work with me to find out what the AOUB is up to," he crossed his arms. "Or are you ditching that too?"
"No," I huffed. "I'll still do it. But don't expect me to be in your company any longer than I need to."
"Fine," he scoffed.
"Fine," I snapped.
The bedroom door squealed as it flung open and Adriane appeared with a grin. "Dinner is ready!"
