Page 30 of Toxic Kiss

“With cameras? Cause we need to see round two,” Vex says.

“Shut up. I don’t need to see Cy having sex with the boss’s daughter. That’s the makings of a bad porno,” Ledger groans.

Eren stares at me with a look somewhere between sympathy and judgment, while Declan pretends the ceiling is interesting.

But I can’t stop watching where she disappeared through the door. Haven has always been tough. Always a thorn in my side. But now? She’s a sniper with perfect aim. And I can’t decide if I want to win this war or surrender.

I grab my mic and try to focus, but every lyric sounds wrong, every breath feels hollow. I rub a hand down my face.

“Take five,” I mutter, and walk out before any of the assholes behind me can comment.

If the compassionate Haven Gaillard can’t see anything in me worth saving…then maybe there really is nothing left to save.

HAVEN

I make it down the hallway before the adrenaline subsides, and I’m left with every muscle quaking. My lungs ache and my pulse races. I duck between two equipment crates, out of sight, and press my back to the wall.

Air. I just need air.

What the hell was that?

I can still feel him…his breath on my skin, the heat of him pressed too close, his voice like a sensual song. My body’s betraying me, pulsing where it shouldn’t, my memory whispers ‘yes’ while my brain screams ‘run.’ I squeeze my eyes closed, but all I can see is six years ago.

“Haven?”

I grudgingly stop as I walk past Cy’s door.

“What?”

“Come check out this new game.”

He points to the television and the latest aliens-versus-soldiers game that Anita got for him.

“I’ll pass.”

“Don’t be like that. It’s way better with a second person.” Cyrus pouts at me.

“But you hate me and I’m not allowed in your room. Remember? You made that very clear.”

“Truce. Come on, it’ll be fun.” The sigh is loud as it leaves my mouth. “I promise, I won’t be an asshole.”

“Spare me, it’s part of your DNA,” I grumble, but walk in anyway as he laughs, not denying it.

It feels like a trap, but summer has been super boring with Patrick away with his family, Dad is halfway across the country, and Anita is out, so why not? The only time he acts sorta-decent is when we are alone.

Crossing my legs, I sit beside him and take the controller from his hand. Our fingers touch, and my heart pounds erratically in my chest. He doesn’t let go right away and just stares at me. Then, like the flip of a switch, he clears his throat and looks away, letting go as if I’ve insulted him. Typical.

An hour later, we are laughing and having a good time. I hate the giant spiders and screech, shooting wildly as I spin in a circle, trying to get away from four of them that have suddenly dropped down from trees.

“Help me,” I say, but he is laughing so hard that he is useless. “Ah!” I run into a giant rock, then turn and sprint along the path, only to be trapped. “No, no, no, no, no.”

“Oh my god, you’re fucking hilarious. Watch out, there is a spider behind you,” Cy says and points.

I scream on instinct and then yelp as his fingers tickle my sides.

“Stop…I can’t breathe,” I manage to get out in between the hysterical laughter. I wiggle to get away, but somehow end up underneath him.

When he does stop, his lips hover inches above mine. The smile on his face slowly fades to something far more intense. It’s the same look that he’s given countless other girls, but this time it’s directed at me.