Crossing Lines

Chapter 40 - Hayden

Why the goddamn hell can't these people just leave us the fuck alone?

I curse this place. Utah has brought us nothing but trouble, and I can't wait to get this over with and get the fuck out of here.

The fact that this Barbie just showed up at our door makes me livid. How the fuck does she even know which room we're in? Kill said he had no idea she was even in town.

I meant what I said to him. If I see her anywhere near Mila again, I'll let hell rain down on her. I had my reservations after the party disaster, but this proves my initial premise was right. She's somehow involved in this goddamn shit show.

"Baby..." Mila's concerned voice brings me out of my thoughts, her eyes filled with worry when she brushes her fingers over my cheek.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, but she shakes her head in an instant.

"It's not your fault."

"It is, though." I've been having issues suppressing the thoughts, always wondering if she might be better off without me.

"Stop it." The conviction in her voice, and that she now looks rather pissed than concerned, makes me straighten myself up. I love her to death, but pissed Mila scares the shit out of me.

"Sorry." I sigh.

Mila punches my shoulder as soon as the word leaves my lips, and I have to admit I'm surprised by the force of her throw. I stare at her with wide eyes as I rub the spot, trying to figure out what's going through her mind. "Stop apologizing!" she almost yells at me, and that makes me widen my eyes even more.

She walks to the ceramic bowl on the couch table and stuffs a peanut butter cup in her mouth. It's hard not to laugh; I still can't get over the fact that she has the body of a goddess even though she eats more of these in a day than I have my in entire life.

"I swear," she mutters while still munching on the chocolate, "I can't have you blaming yourself for every fucking thing that's happening."

Her words get my attention. Mila rarely swears except when we're in the bedroom, but hearing it out here means she's actually angry, even when she's still chewing on that cup in her mouth. "Lucky..."

I take a step toward her, but she raises her finger, poking it at my chest as she says, "No. You listen to me." She swallows the chocolate, her words loud and clear when she stares at me. "None of this is your fault. I chose you. I chose this. I can deal with skanks like her."

Hearing that word out of her mouth makes me blink a few times. Mila is usually so wholehearted, so precious. But every day I spend with her, I realize there's so much more than meets the eye, and I discover new sides to her even after the months we've already spent together.

"What I can't deal with is you second-guessing yourself." She crosses her arms in front of her chest, trying to get her point across. "That's not you, Hayden. You know it. Don't let them get what they want. Don't let them doubt your decisions. Show them how fucking strong my man is."

And I don't know what it is, if it's the fact that she's turning into a lioness whenever she feels like I might do something that could hurt me, or if it's that she just called me her fucking strong man, but it's like someone lit a fuse inside me, the fire making me stride to her.

"Hayden, what..." she whispers, but I don't even let her finish. I shut her the hell up with a kiss that already has my mind spinning, the chocolatey taste of her lips so familiar and yet exhilarating as hell. I pick her up and walk to the counter in the lounge, swallowing a moan from her lips as suddenly a knock echoes through the room, followed by a male voice reminding us of the pizza we ordered.