Torrential Love

Chapter Forty

~DUNCAN~

"Yeah?" Duncan heard a small voice coming from his garden.

He ran towards it and in his garden was Yael, bending over some of his bushes, some flowers in her hands. She was forming a bouquet and an innocent smile graced her lips.

"Duncan, come," she said, beckoning him. "This for you."

He flew towards her, his hands grabbing onto the sides of her arms in panic. The flowers in her hands dropped to the ground as she gasped in surprise. He held her tightly, his breath leaving him.

"What?" Yael said. "I okay! I okay."

"Y-Y-Ya - " he breathed. "Ya-!"

"I okay, Duncan," she said, holding onto his arms. "Breathe. I okay."

"I thought - I thought you were!" he said, his mind melting.

"Breathe," she said. "Look at me. I fine, no?"

"I - I thou- " he said, panting.

"Calm, Duncan," she touched her hand to his face lovingly. She took his hand in hers and pulled on it. He followed her back into his home. When they closed the door behind them, he slumped his back against the door, trying hard to catch his breath. "Calm."

He launched himself off the door. "What were you thinking, Yael?! The KKK - There are enemies out there who want you dead! Why did you even think about stepping out like that where everyone can see you?! Are you crazy?!"

Her mouth fell open. Then she put her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me what to do!"

"You're crazy! Fuck! Is there only air in your head?"

She gasped and pointed a finger at him. "You think I afraid of anyone? Not KKK, not you!"

"Fucking air for brains!"

"Shut up!"

He gestured wildly to his temple. "Did you ignore all your lessons in school, huh? Skip your classes? 'Cause it sure as fuck seems like it!"

"Wha - "

"You're a great girl, Yael, but sometimes, FUCK, I want to strangle you! I bet you'd love that! Death seems so alluring, huh? It has you rushing to it!"

"You think I never want strangle you before?!"

"You butt into things you're not supposed to, like that stuff with Maya and you act like some kid, snapping back at me when I finally put you in your place!"

"You - You!" Yael started, but nothing else came out.

"Yeah, that's right. You can't think of a time where I did something wrong!"

"You think you right about everything!" Yael hissed.

"Tell me I wasn't fucking right!"

"God!"

"How do I do this, huh?" Duncan said, rubbing the back of his index finger into his palm. "Drill this into your empty mind? You are in danger! You're fucking poison - FUCK! I can't think straight when you're involved, I can't function like a normal man and you throw every semblance of common sense I have in every fibre of my being out the window. I make little sense anymore - I - " he said emphatically, sighing heavily as he ran out of steam.

"Duncan..." Yael said.

"I want to shatter every blasted object that crosses my path whenever I think about you. I want to scream at the world. I want to set everything ablaze! That's how fucking annoying you are, Yael!"

She huffed in frustration. "You are worse!"

"I tell myself I love you, but every waking day I realise I actually hate you! I try to live my life as best as I can, doing all the good I can. I made vows, thinking I'd never break them, but when you came along, I feel like I'm hanging over the mouth of Hell every time you speak a word to me, or every time you brush your hand against mine! Do you know how long I've had to fight all these forbidden, sinful thoughts about you? I hovered over insanity the moment I met you! Do you even know how much I have wanted to put you on the fucking chair I sit on every day and spread your legs wide so I can burn your taste into my - "

And Yael threw herself at him.