Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter One: "You Should Know"

"Don't touch me!"

I moved away from him, slapping his hands away from my body. I wanted to hit him, to push him away, but my movements suggested otherwise.

"Brielle, listen to me," he demanded. "There is nothing going on!"

"Maybe to you, but she's got her eyes all over you as soon as you walk into the room! She practically undresses you with her eyes!"

"I don't even notice, baby," he replied desperately, pleading for me to understand. "I only see you!"

"Spare me that cliché shit," I snapped. "Just go."

"Brielle Marie Payne, listen to me, damn it!" he near shouted, his eyes gleaming with fire and vexation. He was beyond irritated that I had even thought otherwise about how he felt for me, and I didn't doubt it for a second. I was just too upset about the fact that that girl had the nerve to even look at him while I was in the same room, right next to him.

"There is and never will be anything going on between us, okay? She's just another face in the crowd. Now I've worked way too damn hard to earn your trust to throw it away on some average face. How in the hell have you questioned that? I understand jealousy - I've always felt it when another guy looks at you. So don't push me away because you feel like another girl has her eyes set in the wrong direction."

Without another thought, without any type of warning, I closed my lips around his and wrapped my fingers around the edge of his shirt. I threw it off eagerly, having the adrenaline beat on me after fighting with him. I hated it. Every damn second of it. Our lips moved furiously and our tongues met in elegance, dancing around with fire. He shoved me back onto the bed, his hands fisting the fabric of my shirt. Had I not let out a small giggle, I swear he would've literally ripped the thing right off of me. I lifted it over my head, and our lips met once again.

Our breathing was heavy, wild, as he left my lips and placed kisses down my jawline, my neck, and down to my chest. I tried catching my breath with the break my lips were given, but it was no use. Everywhere his skin met mine left me breathless.

"I'm so sorry," I gasped, my voice raspy. "I didn't mean to-"

He crashed his lips to mine and prevented me from saying anymore, which I pegged was both because of the heat of the moment and how he didn't want to hear my "useless" apology, which is how he'd put it every I time I apologized for an action of mine.

He'd always told me that I had nothing to be sorry about, simply because life is full of expectations and surprises, things that life throw your way that can trip you and take you for a scary whirl. He'd always told me how I just needed to pretend like the event never happened and move on.

He looked down at me, his icy blue eyes boring into mine with a depth that I found grew every single time I looked into them.

"You are apologizing for being jealous. I get that way, but I don't apologize because I know that it means I care. Don't you care?"

I squinted my eyes at him, determination taking a course through my bones. I turned us around in a swift movement and shoved his shoulders down into the matress, pursing my lips for a brief moment.

"Caring is something I do every day of my life. You should know that by now."

Our lips met again, and my hair fell over our faces. In a rush to free us from this trap, I tossed my hair over my shoulder and let our lips crash again.

Without breaking the kiss, Niall turned us back over, his weight feeling like a pillow atop me.

"Great."