TWISTED FATE (Twisted Path Book 1)

Chapter 13

Shane

"So, I'm asking, will you trust me, Becca? To love you and be there for you. Fall with me, pretty girl, and I promise to always be there to catch you." My words hang in the air like the mushroom cloud of a nuclear bomb.

Shit! Why am I pushing her?

As skittish as she is, cornering her like this is a terrible idea. But when that mask of frustration that she wears like armor falls away, replaced instead by a hopeless sort of brokenness, I realize what I'm doing is necessary if I have any hope of getting through to her.

"I don't know how. I don't even know if I can."

Taking a step forward, I watch her closely. When she doesn't object, I take another step and then another, until I'm standing in front of her. I know I'm taking a huge risk here, but given this might be my last chance to get her to see what I see, I slowly reach for her face. To my relief, instead of pulling away, she leans into my touch, closing her eyes as that expectant little gasp I can't get enough of breaks free from between her lips. Her reaction to that simple touch means everything, for it shows that though her mind is conflicted, her body and heart... those parts of her want this. Me. Us.

"I can show you how, pretty girl. That isn't the problem. The real question is, do you want to try? Do you want to trust in me?"

"More than I should." Her answer is pained. "But I can't tell if this is real. If this is some game, a trick or a dare, maybe a bet you made with your friends to get close to the daughter of the town's pariah. It's the only explanation for why someone like you would want to get close to me. Anything else feels too close to fate. To a fairytale. And I learned long ago that those aren't real. At least not for girls like me."

"This," I take her hand and place it on my chest, right over my heart. "What I feel for you in here is more real than anything I've ever felt in my whole life, Becca. I understand your doubt because for months now, I've mulled over those very same feelings, wondering why now. Why, after knowing you for most of my life, why is my attraction to you suddenly so strong? But here's the thing, wondering doesn't change that I'm in love with you. Head over heels. Stupidly. Desperately. Insanely in love with you. You're all I've thought about every minute of every day since that morning I ran into you in Mr. Blair's office. As far as my friends go, they don't know how I feel about you. Nobody does, not because I'm ashamed, but because I wanted you to be the first to know. And also, because I know you're scared."

Taking her hand in both of mine, I brush my lips over her soft skin, then look deep into her eyes. "I can show you how to trust again. I'll take my time. Take things as slow as you need, so falling with me won't feel like a drop. I'll do it so the entire way down, you'll feel safe. Secure. Protected. All that's left for you to do is decide. Will you take that leap with me, pretty girl?"

With a loud exhale, she closes her eyes, sending my heart plummeting in anticipation of the rejection that might be coming.

"Okay."

"Okay?" I ask, my mind slow to process that she's agreed.

Nodding with tears in her eyes, she repeats, "Yes. Okay."

After pulling her hands up and placing them around my neck, I lift her off her feet, then bury my face in the crook of her neck and breathe her in. Her scent, the feel of her skin against my own, the weight of her body in my arms, feels like the spray of the ocean against your face on a hot summer day. "You won't regret this. I swear it, Becca. I promise to always do right by you."

Afraid to push my luck, I don't stay much past that. Instead of kissing her mouth the way I want, I drop a tender kiss on her forehead before packing up my school stuff and heading out of her apartment, after getting her to promise that she'll call and let me hear her voice before we both drift off to sleep. I'm almost skipping with joy as I make my way to my car, which is why I don't notice the man leaning against the grill of my Mercedes G-Class.