Protection

23.

I take a deep breath, holding out my trembling hand. What the hell am I going to her? I literally did everything she told me not to do. Fuck, I'm screwed. She flipped out when I choked David, what is she going to do when she finds out I dislocated Jackson's shoulder and punched him? I gotta say, he handled it like a man. We didn't know the damage until we tried to get him off the floor.

Sidra's bedroom door swings open. She jumps but then smiles when she sees it's me. "Hi, come here." She grabs my hand and yanks me inside. "Oh, you were about to open the door with your left hand!" She shudders. "I know I'm crazy about you and you're my boyfriend and everything but left-handed people creep me out!"

I take a moment to soak in her words. Crazy about me, huh? "Wait, what? Left-handed people creep you out?"

"Yeah. They're like from the mirror world."

"Mirror world?" I chuckle.

"Don't laugh at me!" She punches my arm. It's cute. "But, anyway, like I was saying, witches use black mirrors to either help things cross over to our world or to go into their world. Don't you think a normal mirror has some sort of power?"

"I've never thought about it."

Her nose scrunches. "Nice way saying you don't believe me."

I laugh and hold her closer to me.

"So...?" She rises on her toes as she reaches up and runs her fingers through my hair. "How'd it go? You talked to him, right?"

Fuck. I frown and her smile falters. Fuck-again.

"Hear me out, okay?" She nods then pulls away, takes my hand, and leads me to her bed. We take a seat at the foot of her bed then slightly turn our bodies to face each other. "I did talk to Jackson. I told him he was being inconsiderate yet clueless about your feelings towards your mother. But then he said your life would be easier if you learned to accept Rita. We were yelling but we were talking it out. But then some idiot suggested we fought-" her brows sew together in confusion "-we said no...well, we said no to fighting. Jackson said he wanted to arm wrestle. We did, and I won..." She gasps. "But I got carried away..."

"Sam," she sighs hurt.

"I know, I know." I wince then bow my head in shame. "He's fine. I mean, I only dislocated his shoulder and punched him in his face..." shit, that doesn't sound so good saying it out loud. "Sidra, I'm so sorry."

"Sam." She wraps her arms around me and plants a peck on my cheek before snuggling her face into my neck.

I hesitate to hold her. "You're not mad?"

"I'm not sure. But I know like everything else, you did it because you care." She squeezes me. I shut my eyes and hold her, taking her in. I can easily get lost with her. I came here to tell her I nearly broke the man she knew most of her life but forgot because she smiled at me. She smiles and laughs then the world around me vanishes. My stunning Sidra... she pulls away too soon. "Where is he now?"

Fuck, I forgot again. "With Rita...I was supposed to come get you."

"Why?"

"Because Jackson and I won't tell her exactly what happened and she wants to know what happened when we stopped you in the hall."

"Okay..." she leans in and kisses me. I kiss her back instantly. My busted hand finds its way to her face and I tuck her soft hair behind her ear. We sink into the tender kiss and I slip my tongue into her mouth. Playing with her tongue, barely touching it the way I normally do, I tease her and she moans. She grips and tugs at my shirt then pulls me closer. And just like that, our kiss goes from slow and gentle to rough and hungry. I cup her face with both hands and tilt her head to get better access to her mouth. She whimpers against the power of my tongue as I do the tricks I rarely do.