Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Will you just let me leave? You run off on me, and now you try to block me from leaving? Talk about back and forth.”
Before I can stop myself, I step forward, palm the back of her head, and slam my lips to hers. At first, she tries to push me away, then her lips melt against mine.
She tastes like all the right decisions and everything I shouldn’t be drawn to.
She’s the light to my darkness, something I want to keep drinking in for days.
It’s selfish for someone like me to want her. But I can’t get her out of my thoughts or my system.
I might not be good with words, but I can express that much this way.
Her nails dig into my chest as she opens up to me, and a small whimper escapes her.
She’s the calm to my raging mind. The thoughts are silent. My hands only want to trace every line of her body.
I need her like my next meal, and I’ve been starved this last week.
Pulling back, I stare at her, and she takes a deep, startled breath.
There are so many emotions in her eyes, none of which I understand. But one thing I do know is she wants me just as much as I want her.
“Come home with me.”
“No,” she answers with swollen lips. “Cinita is waiting for you.” She pushes past me.
My jaw tightens as she’s quick to stride by a nurse and toward Cinita’s room.
It’s not Cinita I want.
CHAPTER 25
Lena
Iwas really hoping when I visited her that I wouldn’t see him. It’s been over a week since he left my apartment, and he’s been sending a multitude of gifts ever since. At this point, I’m just stockpiling them in the corner so I can hock them at a pawn shop when I have the time. Some of the jewelry, though, I like. I’ll keep those pieces.
As I walk into Cinita’s hospital room, I lick my lips. His kiss is imbedded on them. It’s all I can feel, like a stain I can’t wipe off. It brands me in ways I don’t like to admit.
“Oh my gosh! Lena!” Cinita perks up in her bed, a bowl of Jell-O in her hand. It’s night and day to how I last saw her. Her bruises are a bluish-yellow now. She’s healing, but I can’t shake the visual of how dead she looked before.
Julie gives me a kind smile as she sits on a chair next to the bed.
“Julie told me you were the first person to come. You know, when I was brought here and stuff. Thank you. Oh, and I’m sorry about the rent situation. Things got kind of crazy, but you can sell my stuff to make up for it and all.”
I remind myself that punching a woman who’s recovering in the hospital is not acceptable. She’s not at all apologetic. She’s also kind of off, in a jittery way, and I can see she’s only had one mouthful of her Jell-O.
“It was an inconvenience,” I agree, “but I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”
She’s most likely going through withdrawals. I haven’t been around someone who’s dealing with substance abuse, but I was prewarned that she could have “moments.”
“Oh yeah, I’m totally being waited on hand and foot.” She rolls her eyes sarcastically.
Alek lingers near the door, and I see the way Cinita lights up around him. She’s like a moth to a flame, and I’m almost certain one that wants to perish in the fire. It makes me uncomfortable.
“The doctors said if I wasn’t brought in, I’d probably be dead. Which is super dramatic. I always knew he’d come, though.” She points her spoon at Alek, who doesn’t say anything. “Although, you didn’t answer my call the first time, so maybe I might’ve died.” Her tone has taken on an edge.
Silence fills the room.
He didn’t answer because he was with me.
“Doctor is cute, though,” she adds flippantly.
My phone rings in my pocket, and I couldn’t have asked for a better time to excuse myself. Because as sorry as I feel for Cinita, I’m not her friend. I’m not her anything. And I just don’t want this energy in my life.
When I pull out my phone, I realize I’ve missed a call from my mother. Seems like the lesser of two evils.
“I just need to duck out for a bit to call my mom back,” I say as I make haste out of the room. I push past Alek, and when he goes to say something, I put my finger up to him because I don’t want him to follow me.
“Alek?” Cinita calls out to him, clearly disgruntled by his momentary shift of attention.
I head out of the hospital, constantly touching my lips, unable to help myself. Despite the fact that I’m mad at him, I really do like the way he kisses me.