SWNOVELS Forged in Blood: Chapter 22
Stifling a groan when her unique scent floods my senses, I fall into step beside Ophelia. I want to bite her so fucking badly. And if I can’t do that, kissing her would be a pretty close second. And then kissing would inevitably lead to fucking, and the thought of that makes my dick stiffen.
She keeps her eyes fixed firmly ahead, her jaw set with determination as she quickens her pace. Thunder cracks loudly in the sky above us as dark clouds roll overhead.
Undeterred, I match her step for step. “Where are you headed?”
She ignores me and I frown.
What the hell did you pair of numbnuts do the other night? I ask Axl and Xavier.
Oh, yeah. Xavier laughs. Probably should have told you … Cupcake will be pissed today.
What did you do? I keep my eyes fixed on Ophelia, who is actively turning her head away from me now.
What needed to be done to get her the fuck out of there, Xavier says.
I suppress a sigh and shake my head. Fucking assholes.
We heard that, Axl growls.
You were fucking supposed to.
Blocking out those two clowns, I focus all my attention on Ophelia. “You okay, sweet girl?”
She stops and spins on her heel to face me, her beautiful face incandescent with rage. “Don’t you sweet girl me!” She stomps her foot, and the action makes her delicious tits jiggle in her tight tank top. My cock twitches. Fuck, she’s so cute when she’s pissed. I bite back a smile and let her go on chewing me out. Her delicate hands ball into fists by her sides. “No, I am not okay, you jackass.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Whatever Axl and Xavier did Saturday night was for—”
“Don’t you dare defend those heartless douchebags to me.” She stomps her foot again, and my eyes roam to her chest. Fuck, I wanna sink my fangs into them like a pair of ripe peaches.
“Malachi!”
I press my lips together and allow my eyes to travel back up her slender throat, over her fluttering pulse to her bright-blue eyes, which spark with indignation. “Sorry, but you are kinda cute when you’re angry.”
She gasps, her mouth open in shock and her cheeks as pink as her hair. “I … You … Stop trying to distract me. Stop pretending to be nice to me. You’re a jackass just like your friends, and I want you all to leave me the hell alone.” She turns and marches off in the direction of her dorm, her fine ass swaying hypnotically in her plaid miniskirt.
I watch her stomp away for a few seconds before I chase after her, catching up in three strides. “Not gonna happen, sweet girl.”
She huffs. “What’s not?”
“Leaving you alone.”
She stops again and turns to face me, her eyes swimming with tears. “Why?” The word comes out as little more than a whisper.
“Why what?”
“Why won’t you leave me alone? Why can’t you all just leave me alone? I never …” She sucks in a heaving sob, and the sound feels like a blade slicing into my heart. “I’ve never hurt any of you.” Tears run down her cheeks, and she swats them away with the back of her hand. Rain pours from the sky, soaking us in seconds, but she doesn’t seem to notice. “All I want is to be left in peace. Why can’t any of you let me just … be?” She shivers, her thin tank top plastered to her body. “You can all have Penelope and bite all the hot girls you please. I’ll never tell a soul. I swear on my life. But please, please leave me alone, Malachi.”
The plea in her voice breaks me. How the fuck has life made this incredible girl feel so worthless? And how do I even begin to tell her that she’s not? I don’t know how to explain to her that as sure as I know the moon orbits the earth, I know that she is everything.
She doesn’t give me a chance to speak anyway. Spinning on her heel, she offers a quick glance at the dark sky and takes off, hurrying to escape the quad like the rest of the people around us. Except I have no doubt she’s rushing to escape me rather than the rain. I stand rooted to the spot, unable to do anything but watch her leave.