Dependent on You

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Third Person

Adrian stumbled back, feeling as if she'd been slapped. "Y-you what?"

The worst part was that Adrian couldn't look away from him and he kept his incisive, penetrating irises on her, locking her right in place. "You heard me, Adrian." He was right, she did, crystal clear. And she couldn't believe what he was telling her. She knew Elliot was reckless and rude and mean. She knew he did illegal things and had been in juvie for those said things. She knew he smoked and drove way past the speed limit and sometimes didn't wear his seatbelt. But hearing the word kill come out of his mouth, in his voice, the same voice that had soothed her when she cried, that said her name so delicately—her knees wobbled.

"You k-killed your m-mom—that's murder E-Elliot." She stuttered, her hands trembling against her sides as she attempted to wrap her head around it. He stepped forward towards her and she immediately took a step back on unsteady feet, but when he took another two steps she wasn't quick enough to move away, his hand catching her arm keeping her in place. And she felt it, the same feeling she always got when he touched her, the warmth he brought that possessed her inside and out. She immediately tried to jerk her arm away but his hand didn't so much as budge, which only made a ravine of water spill out her eyes. "Let g-go of me."

"No." He uttered, in his low melodic voice, and it made her bones shutter. "I'm not going to let you go, sunshine." She hated how that name affected her, how it made her stomach flutter with little fluorescent butterflies as it always did. "Because you wanted to know, you always fucking want to know everything. And now you do, you know one of my secrets."

She couldn't help but think about his hand on her arm. The same hands he used to hurt his mother, the same hands that held hers. He was so close to her and it was making her brain foggy as if her head was in the clouds itself. Especially since she could smell his intoxicating scent she adored. Mint and smoke and coffee. He was still the same Elliot. With his soft red lips, a sharp jaw, and pointed eyebrows. He was still the same hot-headed, careless boy, who did wild things without a second thought. He was still the same; the only thing that changed was that now she knew one of his secrets. He only told her what she so badly wanted to know.

"B-but why? She was your m-mom."

"Moms, little Adrian, don't abandon their children."

Adrian blinked, confused, sifting through her brain to find an answer but nothing was registering. She couldn't think straight, how could she? The only thing that came to mind was the story he told her about the little boy whose mom left him at some stranger's house and never came back. He told her that story at the house he brought her to, his old house, the one they burned down committing arson. That's when it clicked— "You're the little b-boy from the story." She whispered, putting the pieces together, remembering the anger that placated his frigid blue eyes as he told her. She was sure of it, and that angered her.

Elliot's lips curled. "Yes, baby."

A chill ran down her spine and not the scary kind. She didn't know what to say. "Y-you can't murder p-people, that's wrong Elliot!" She was petrified.

She was even more horrified when his free hand lifted and caressed the side of her rosy warm cheek and down her jaw because the action caused more butterflies to erupt down in the pit of her belly. She wanted to pull away, at least her brain was screaming for her too. But her heart stayed put, keeping her feet glued to the sandy ground. And when he leaned in, his minty lips brushing hers, her mouth parted with ease. She told herself it was out of habit and not want. But he didn't kiss her. "Then I guess you'll have to keep my secret, won't you?" He murmured, but she didn't miss the demand in his tone, the edge practically scraped her red-tipped ears.