Page 88 of Toxic Kiss

“Tell me to stop.” My voice sounds like I’ve gargled with gravel and whiskey after a night of singing.

Haven opens her mouth, but nothing comes out.

My fingers dig into her hips, and my lips brush hers. It isn’t a kiss. Not really. It’s a test and a promise. She’s always been mine, and no amount of time apart can snuff the fire that burns between us.

“This is wrong,” Haven whispers. “I’m⁠—”

I place a finger over her mouth to stop her from saying the word.

“I don’t fucking care.”

“But I do.”

“No, you don’t. I can see it in your eyes,” I growl, forcing her to take a step back. Her eyes harden, and her hand moves to my chest. “If it’s so wrong, then why does it feel like this is the only thing that makes sense?”

My lips touch hers, a little more persistent this time.

“I want you, Haven. I can’t be bothered fighting our connection anymore. I’m too tired. You’re mine, you’ve always been mine. You’ve never been a placeholder.”

Haven suddenly shoves me hard, forcing me back. Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears while her body shakes.

“Fuck you, Cyrus. How dare you do this to me? I gave you everything, and you threw me away like trash. You manipulated me. Gaslit me and emotionally raped me until there was nothing that I recognized. I left to find a life without you, and now…now you say you want me. Fuck you,” she whispers, but her words are filled with so much pain and venom that each one feels like a stab to my heart.

She steps around me, her eyes wary, watching me as if she’s prey and I’m a predator.

“Haven—”

“No…don’t you dare. I don’t want to hear this, just stay on your side of the line, Cyrus,” she says, reaching the door and unlocking it.

Haven pauses, takes a deep breath, and hits me with a stare that cracks my heart open wide.

“I loved you. Through it all, I loved you. But I can’t let you drag me down again. Being near you…it’s like a poison eating at my soul.”

“You don’t understand,” I say, walking toward her, and she quickly whips open the door.

“No, I understand perfectly. You only want me now that I’m unavailable. Well, too bad.”

She marches out, and I’m hot on her heels. If she thinks that walking away again is going to stop me, she is in for a rude awakening. I’m far from done.

Haven sits, grabs her wine, and chugs it down. Auguste and my mother watch her as she pours herself more. I take a seat and subtly move my chair closer as I do.

“Everything okay,” Auguste asks, as I put my hand on Haven’s thigh—dangerously high—and squeeze.

She chokes on the next mouthful of wine and shoots me a glare.

“Yup, just...fine. Wine tried to go down the wrong way.”

I smile at her father, who is sipping his Spanish coffee, like nothing between us ever happened.

“How’s the drink?”

“It’s fine,” Auguste says and then looks away.

Haven mouths, What are you doing?

I lean in close to her ear.

“Claiming what’s mine, Butterfly. Claiming what’s mine.”