“And that is precisely what we need to discuss.” He growled in my ear making me spin back round to face him.
“No, we don’t! You have no say in who I date Draven and the sooner you come to realise that the better!” I said feeling so angry it was like my heart was going burst out of my chest any minute, so it too could slap him!
“And just now, when I had you trembling in my arms with just the thought of when I was about to kiss you?” He said with his face getting closer to mine as if aiding him whilst making his point. I on the other hand could feel my jaw go slack in utter shock.
“Uh…sorry?” I whispered completely dumbstruck.
“You want me to say it again or follow through with my desires to drive my point home, because I am pretty sure either way it gives me a damn right in who touches you!” Okay so he was definitely angry now but I was still left playing catch up on what the hell I had just missed!
“I…uh…but you said…uh…okay Draven, now I’m confused.” I admitted letting my shoulders slump and taking a much needed step back from all this and not just physically.
“What I said?” He looked just as confused for a moment before something must have registered when he looked back at me.
“Keira I…” Draven started but was abruptly cut off when I heard my name being called from the front desk. I looked over to see RJ waving me over like a mad woman, with Lanie stood next to her wearing her usual shy smile.
“Look I have to go.” I said feeling like some sad, deflated balloon that had been left out far too long after the celebrations had all ended.
“Just give me a minute to explain, that’s all I ask.”
“I can’t,” I replied softly trying not to look him in the eyes, knowing I would crack if I did.
“Can’t or won’t?” I could tell by the way he asked me that question that he wasn’t happy about being told no, but what else could I do? I had to make the decision at some point that this needed to end before it began, because no matter what Draven really felt or wanted, it wasn’t ever going to be enough to go back in time. I couldn’t allow him to have that power over me again. I couldn’t allow him to kiss me and then eventually take it back.
For no matter what I wanted in the heat of the moment I knew in the long run I had to keep my heart safe and guarded because at the end of that kiss was the inevitable waiting to happen…
Rejection. Pain. And then devastation with Draven walking away…yet again. No, I couldn’t let that kiss ever happen no matter how much I wanted it…craved it and normally would have fought tooth and nail to get it.
But not this time.
So with that in mind I answered him before walking away with a decision that felt so wrong it was lodged in my throat, making this one word all the more harder to get out…
“Both.”
Chapter 13
In Bad Taste
Walking away from Draven wasn’t easy, not by a long shot but I knew it was better for me in the long run. Having Alex turn up when he had was the wakeup call I needed. I didn’t mind being friends with Draven, as it was better than nothing but I was going to have to put a stop right now to all the mixed messages I was receiving. It wasn’t fair to me and my fragile heart to keep putting me through this. It was confusing enough just trying to find the right balance to be friends, but having him backing me into a corner and nearly kissing me was taking it to a whole new level of cruelty.
I knew enough about Draven that if he wanted something he would simply take it, which included me. If something had changed in the fates that meant we could finally be together then I couldn’t imagine Draven taking his time in letting it be known that he wanted me back. But that hadn’t happened. And unless I missed the memo, nothing had changed and nothing ever would. No, I couldn’t do this and I quickly realised something when I had turned round to see Draven with Alex still at my back. If it hadn’t been for him knowing about Alex, then Draven wouldn’t even have been here let alone nearly kissing me, which only meant one thing…
Draven was only reacting to this because he felt threatened.
The thought was a depressing one but there was no other explanation for his behaviour. Vincent had been right that night on top of the cliff. I would have been devastated to find out Draven hadn’t cared when finding out that I was with Alex but what Vincent didn’t realise was that Draven’s reaction to it was just as devastating.
Of course, just because I had made up my mind didn’t mean I could let it go. It didn’t mean I didn’t start obsessing over every little detail in the last twenty four hours! Because let’s face it, that’s what us girls did. We analysed every single thing and looked for the hidden meaning as if we were cracking that damn Da Vinci Code of men!