uninvited

chapter thirtynine

untold

Someone shoot her. Aim for the silly, dreamy, and totally pathetic smile on her face.

She was so pathetic she was even making herself sick. Which is why she'd come home directly after school so she could hide in her room.

At her old school if she had seen someone carrying on like a lovesick airhead, she would have made them eat her fist. Knocked some sense into them. Now she was the lovesick airhead, right down to the stupid smile that wouldn't go away.

Watching for him everywhere she goes. Once finding him, unable to look away. Sighing every few moments for no reason at all.

Yuk.

Her disgust only lasted a short time. He was even worse than her.

Training had been awkward. Touches that lasted a little too long. Silence and long glances that said too much.

Groaning, she threw herself on her bed. Shooting her in the face would be going to easy on her.

Mack truck?
She was a disgrace to strong, independent women everywhere.

Today at lunch she'd made Lee want to throw up. Julian went from amused to bewilder. All Kell's people looked pleased.

When her door opened, she grumbled a plead. "Put me out of my misery. If you really love me, you'll end my suffering."

"Now love, let's be sensible about this. I couldn't bare life without you, but I could slap you around a little, if you want."

"Think that will help?"

"Nope." He laid down and opened his arms for her.

Greedily, she accepted the comfort.

"Is it so bad?"

"God, yes. This isn't who I am."

His voice lowered to where she could barely hear him. "Did you tell him?"

"No. I told you I wasn't going to. No way am I ready for that."

"Then what happened last night?"

Nothing. Everything.

She sighed. "Just a kiss."

"Must have been pretty special for just a kiss."

Jess groaned and hide her face in his shirt. She already had lyrics in her head dying to get out.

"Tell him, Jess. Before it becomes a secret, you're keeping from him. Things are really good, don't blow it because you're scared."

"Aren't you scared? What if all of this mate stuff is true?"

"I'm starting to think it is, and if it is then you have to tell him."

"If it is then I wouldn't have to tell him, would I? Maybe I'm wrong."

"You said you got a good look. Or you sure or not?"

She was sure. She'd looked at it all night. Getting up, she walked to the mirror across the room and took her shirt off. Her bra was black. Her breasts were bigger than she liked but what could a person do?

Those aren't what caught her attention. It was the marks just below her collarbone. Hers weren't white, it was more brownish red. Two lines, one that looked like a lightning bolt and another that looked like a long t with the little line going through the lightning bolt.

It was the same. Same marks. Same place.

How was that possible?

When Julian came up behind her and would have said something, she covered his lips with a finger. Walking back to the bed she grabbed her notebook. "I'm sure." She wrote out.

"How is that possible? You were born with that. A birthmark." He wrote back.

"I know. I'll be sure and ask. When I get around to it." Jess said while he kept writing.

"It would be unbelievable. Crazy. And a chance at something amazing. A mate? A clear, undeniable sign? This needs to be dealt with as carefully as possible."

Jess took the pen. "You think? Duh. That's what I've been trying to say. I'm not rushing into anything. So, you think this is a good thing? I haven't decided yet."

"I'll know when you know. I want what you want. But." He underlined that last word three times. "If this is happening, let it happen. No sabotage. You like him. Don't scare yourself out of a good thing and mess it up."

"He says I couldn't."

"If he pops over here and you have your shirt off and my eyes are locked on your melons, just might do the trick. You need to tell him about that too."

"Why? You plan on telling Meg?" Jess put her shirt on. Kellum popping in was a very real possibility.

"No. We broke up last night."

Her face paled. "When were you going to tell me? Damn it, Julian. You're always doing this. Don't think I won't find her tomorrow and_______."

"I broke it off."

When he sat down beside her, she wrapped her arms around his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. "Goody two shoes?"

"No, babe. You. If this is happening to you then it could happen to me too."

"And no Meg?"

"No, but it's different with you, isn't it? He could be the one, couldn't he."

It wasn't easy to admit. "Yes."

"Then talk to him."

"Don't worry, babe. I'll talk to him. Just give me some time. This is some serious freaky shit."

"Agreed. There's still time. We could make a run for it."

No, they couldn't. Maybe before last night but now it was too late. That promise. That kiss. The stars. "I told him I'd give all of this a chance and I will."

It was too late to run but not too late for a gun.