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Fuck.
She looked absolutely stunning.
Stunning and hurt and young.
So, so young.
But...also not.
The way she watched me.
The way she held her shoulders back, fully ready to go to war, all while her lips turned downward with pain.
She burned with so many things, barely hidden in her churning stare.
The urge to protect her from all of it roared through me. Every drop of brotherly instinct kicked in, followed by the not-so-permitted rage of a man who didn’t think of this girl as his family.
Not at all.
She was my nemesis and saviour.
My dream and tormentor.
All the lies I told myself of feeling nothing for her went up in fucking flames because I’d never been more aware that she wasn’t Melike. She wasn’t my sister. She wasn’t the second chance at a family after losing mine.
Our eyes locked.
She opened her mouth to speak.
But I couldn’t do it.
I’d either strike her, kiss her, or try to drown her.
I was livid.
Irrationally ropable at her for putting herself in harm’s way.
“Don’t say a single word.” I snatched her wrist and jerked her toward the shore. “I thought you were a damn crocodile.”
She came without protest, wading beside me as the sea gradually grew shallower, allowing us to walk free without croc teeth or shark jaws killing us.
Something splashed between us as we walked the final few steps and sand welcomed us back to the world I preferred. Ripping my hand away from her, I swiped back saltwater dripping from my hair.
I couldn’t catch a proper breath.
I couldn’t see straight. Couldn’t stop the tattered hammering of my heart.
I braced myself for her excuses.
Turning slowly, I prepared to fight with her even though all I wanted to do was make sure she was alright.
What had possessed her to do something so dangerous?
Why had she kissed Joel?
What else had she done at school when she ought to be learning instead of flirting?
In the silver moonlight, Neri bent and plucked something from the lazy waves. Cradling it gently, she straightened and tipped her chin at me. “What’s this?”
