Breaking Her Bad by Michelle Mankin

 

 

 

 

 

Claire

“Kyle,” I whispered.

I hadn’t been this close to him since the night we were together. My mind spun as his mossy evergreen scent swirled around me.

Wanting to reach for him, but knowing I couldn’t anymore, I clutched my hands to my chest. Beneath them, my heart pounded. Unable to touch him the way I wanted, my eyes took the journey instead.

Kyle’s black hair was unruly, thick, glossy, and satiny in texture, and his gray eyes shone like polished silver. The denim of his jacket separated due to the width of his shoulders over his blindingly white tee, which was stretched to its limits over his chiseled chest. His faded jeans fit him perfectly, like he fit me when he was inside me.

Hot, I swallowed to moisten my dry throat.

“Claire.” Kyle’s voice was raspy, his eyes flaring like they had when he desired me.

At this proximity, he was too much to resist. I started to take a step toward him, but he shook his head and the heat drained from his gaze.

“Don’t.” He waved his hands. Gold I recognized flashed within his grip, reminding me of his words before I got distracted by him.

“Why did you tell Tommy to return my bracelet?” That was a fact as impossible to ignore as Kyle was.

My eyes burning, I was afraid to blink for fear he’d disappear. He stared right back at me, his gaze a smoky fire.

“Why did you set me up like this?” Kyle snapped his head to the side and glared at Tommy.

“If you’re going to be mad,” Missy said, “be mad at both of us. We both did it. It was a mutual decision.”

“Claire deserves an answer to that question.” Tommy folded his arms over his chest, not flinching from Kyle’s glare.

“Kyle.” I took the step closer that he’d warded off a moment before. Placing my hand on his arm, I discovered his skin was as warm as I remembered and his muscles every bit as hard. Longing rushing through me, I pleaded. “Please talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”

Kyle didn’t respond, but he glanced down at my hand. Touching him, I felt the shudder that rolled through him. He lifted his head. His glossy black hair cast shadows in his eyes that didn’t dull the brightness.

“Inside the bathroom, Claire,” he said, his deep voice rumbling over me. “Now.”

When I didn’t immediately comply, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the guys’ restroom. Kyle shoved open the door and pushed me inside. His back to me, he twisted the lock before he turned to face me.

Something came over him as he looked at me, something that was the same for me.

I didn’t speak, couldn’t utter a word, as everything I felt from the night we were together returned. The air became charged and heavy. I didn’t care that he’d lied to me. I didn’t really care for him to explain about the bracelet. I just wanted him to touch me again.

Sliding the bracelet into the front pocket of his jeans, Kyle seemed to have the same desire.

My heart began to race as he moved closer. My skin prickled and my body went as taut as a wire, every nerve ending vibrating. I was thrilled to have him looking at me like he once had, but I was also frightened. He had the advantage, and not only physically. With a few harsh words, he’d reduced what we shared to nothing, and sliced me through the middle like a blade. He could do it again.

Things are different now, I quickly reminded myself.

I had Missy and Tommy, genuine friends who looked after me. I wasn’t alone. No matter what happened, my friends were just on the other side of the door. I was steadier than I was before, more aware. Thanks to Missy, I knew better now how to navigate this environment.

I still had a long way to go to be completely versed in the ways of Southside. I was still myself, parts of the Lakeside girl who had given Kyle everything remained, along with the woman I felt like with him. Though I tried to pretend that woman didn’t exist anymore, she did, and she longed for him.

“I want the answer to my question.” I lifted my hand to stop his advance.

After all my losses, I was more cautious now. The toes of his black boots nearly touched my red ones. My breath caught as he pressed his abs into my palm. I felt the ridges flex, and a pleasurable shiver went through me.

“Do you really want to talk?” he asked softly.

“Yes.” I lifted my chin.

“I don’t.” His eyes were dark, and the heat in them melted my resistance.

I swallowed hard and then licked my dry lips. When his gaze to them, my stomach flipped, but I forced myself to refocus so I could finally get some answers.

“Why didn’t you help me when Belinda took my bracelet? Why did you say those horrible things about me in front of everyone? And why fight for my bracelet only to return it to me now?

“Claire, just let me touch you,” Kyle said in his low seductive voice, wracking my body with needful tremors. “It’s okay, little sparrow.”

His long fingers closing firmly around my upper arms, he drew me into him. My breasts swelled, meeting his hard chest. His belt buckle was a cold kiss against the bare skin over my stomach. Beneath it, his cock was hot and hard. All the blood in my body rushed to that spot between my legs where my pulse began to throb.

“Is it?” I keened a mournful sound as he drew soothing patterns into the skin over my arms with his thumbs. “It hasn’t felt okay for months.”

His caresses awakened awareness within me. I trembled, coveting his warmth and the surety of his touch. Needing him.

“I know, and I’m so sorry.” He lowered his head. His lids heavy, he aimed his gaze and his mouth toward mine.

I put my other hand on his abs and glided both up the center of his body. Flattening my palms against his hard chest, I came up on my toes.

“Love your touch.” He groaned, his warm breath spilling over my skin.

I wanted him to kiss me, wanted to surrender to him and this need. But here, my desire for him was weakness, and I needed to be strong.

Lifting my chin, I said in an accusatory tone, “You knew about my father. And you did nothing?”

“I didn’t know until two weeks ago when Missy told me,” he said sadly.

“You feel sorry for me?” Hurt, I tried to push him away.

“Yes. No.” Kyle seemed confused, and his grip loosened on my arms.

I yanked free and took a step back, hugging myself because I was suddenly cold. “Is that what this is all about? Is that why you want me to have my bracelet back?”

“Right. Yes. That’s it.” A shield slammed down, extinguishing the passion in his eyes.

“I don’t want your pity,” I said bitterly. Pity was something I never wanted from him.

“Here. Let’s get this done.” He pulled the bracelet from his pocket and offered it to me. The gold shimmered in his palm. “Take it.”

“Keep it.” My heart breaking again, I backed away from him and the cherished memento. “Just keep it.”

“I can’t, Claire.” Kyle’s silver eyes shone like a mirror to the past. An abandoned dream lay within the frame of his spiky lashes. “I can’t keep it, not knowing what it means to you.”

“You don’t know.” More tears filled my eyes, making my vision of him waver. “If you knew, you would have been there for me.”

“I was on my back for weeks recovering from a broken leg and other injuries that I sustained after being with you.”

“Missy told me. I’m sorry.” My chest burned. Did he blame me? “I guess you shouldn’t have stuck around.”

“I guess not.” His expression turned hard, hard like I needed to be here. Hard like he and everyone else was.

“So we agree.” I kept my voice firm, but inside, I splintered into pieces. I tilted my head back so all the shards wouldn’t tumble out. “It would have been better for both of us if we’d never met. From now on, let’s pretend that’s what happened.”

“Claire, I . . .” He swallowed hard. “I can’t forget. Don’t you see?”

“I don’t see anything but a stranger.” I poured all my hurt into my eyes and gave him a scathing head-to-toe glance. “I don’t feel anything but rejection from a person I never really knew.”

The bell rang, and the shrillness of it shot through me.

“Good-bye then.” Kyle lowered his head. His expression closed to me, and he became the stranger he’d never really been until now.

A chill fell over me as his arm dropped to his side. I turned my head to follow him as he stiffly moved toward the door. His strong shoulders seeming strained, he unlocked and threw open the door. Missy was right outside waiting.

Kyle thrust the bracelet into her hand and growled, “Take care of her.”

Then he was gone.