unwanted

chapter thirteen

unclear

Before she was even fully awake, Jess was scrabbling to get out of bed. After realizing she was in a shirt long enough to cover her ass, she didn't stop to search for pants. Her feet hit the floor running.

The effects that Adrian had on her were still holding strong this morning. Her mark was hardly more than an aching thought.

Her mind was clearer than it has been in a long time. She could think beyond the pain and lost that usually flooded her head and heart.

Once she hit the porch, she didn't even have to look around to see where she was going. Almost everyone would be in the fields working.

Julian smiled at seeing her. Knowing that she was doing better was having an amazing effect on him. The dark circles were nearly gone from under his eyes. His smile wasn't strained. He still watched her like she might evaporate right in front of his eyes but at least he wasn't having to baby her and hand feed her like he's had to do somedays.

She passed him and Adrian and went straight to Sean. He was a good-looking kid, but he looked too much like his sister for her taste. Thank God he didn't talk as much as his sister.

He only talked when he had something to say. The first word that came to mind when she looked at him is grounded.

At sixteen, he was already taller than Julian and wider than Adrian.

She didn't even stop to say good morning before she plastered herself to him and kissed him like her very life depended on it.

Dude thought to hold back from her, but Jess wasn't having any of that. She turned up the heat several degrees and he melted into her like he was a candle stick. By the time she was finished with him he could barely stand, and he was already looking half in love with her.

Julian was smirking. Adrian looked baffled and a tad bit upset that she was kissing someone else. Jessica was shocked silent.

Jess watched Julian and waited for it to sink in. It took him longer than she thought it would.

"What the hell, babe?"

"My thoughts exactly."

"When did this happened?"

"I don't know. Last night when I kissed Adrian, I didn't even think anything about it but this morning it came to me and I had to make sure it wasn't just Adrian. I can kiss, touch, and who knows what else with whoever I want to do it with."

He caught her up and spun her around. "Oh my God, Jess. This is great. You're free. How do you feel? Did Adrian do this? Is the connection completely broken? Is the mark gone?"

He didn't wait for her to answer, he unbuttoned her shirt, so he could see for himself.

He looked up at her when he found it and he put his hand over it. It was still there but it barely held any heat. He lost some of his excitement.

Her excitement was replaced with heartbreak. She was sure that if anyone would have been listening, they would have heard what was left of her heart shatter into a million pieces.

Her connection to Kell was fading away as if it had never been there.

Adrian was helping her but that wasn't what this was about. This was Kellum. He was letting her go.

Julian knew her well and he was already taking her into his arms. "Baby, this is a good thing. This is what we need. You couldn't go on like you were, you know that. That wasn't living."

No, it wasn't but if this was good news why did she feel like she'd just been stabbed in the back?

"Look at me, baby."

Out of habit, she did. She felt Adrian take her hand.

"This is a good thing."

"This is a good thing." She repeated but it felt like the end of the world all over again.

"Jess, are you coming? You said you would come with me today."

She turned towards the house to find Annie hanging out one of the upstairs windows waving at her.

"Hurry, it's a very important day."

"Look at me, Jess."

"I'm okay." It was a lie, and she knew he knew it was a lie, but he wouldn't call her out on it. Especially in front of the others.

"I have to go help Annie. Give me a few minutes then we'll talk, okay?"

"Okay, baby." It took him a few seconds to answer then a few more seconds to let go of her shoulders. "Don't go too far."

Adrian gave her hand a squeeze and let go too.

She knew that after the last few months that it was hard for him to let her walk away, but he knew her well enough to know that she needed some time to herself.

"Hurry, Jess. We have to hurry."