The Stars In Your Eyes ✩ Tim Shepard

Kiss Me Goodbye

18+!
Tim ~

She looks so beautiful, my little soc; midnight hair plunging in loose waves down her back and honey eyes glittering like stars. Her fragrance of coffee and cinnamon, an intoxicating scent.

"What do you want, Shepard?" Connie's tone is cold and indignant as she folds her arms over her chest, abandoning the cloth she once held on the table. I see no fear in her like I did in the alley, just pure, blind resentment.

Maybe it's good that she hates me, I think. I should have known a guy like me and a good girl like Connie Marie would never work out. But at this moment I don't care. All I see is her. All I care about is her.

"I needed to see you." I give her the flat-out truth. She at least deserves that. I take a step towards her, wanting nothing more than to touch her again, craving the feeling of her skin under my fingers again. Only as I move, she steps back.

"That's bullshit." Her words catch me off guard. Last I remembered, Connie wouldn't swear on her life. What have I done to her? My innocent girl...

Connie stands her ground, fire in her eyes. "Why are you really here, Shepard, and don't give me some half-constructed response."

My head falls. Why I'm really here- it's for her. The anger I've been suppressing all day long comes back to me in surges the longer I look at her. Again I step forward, only this time she doesn't budge, so I move closer to her, so close that if I reached out my hand I could brush her cheek and tuck hair behind her ear like I always used to.

She glares at me, lips parted as I stand in front of her small frame.

"For you," I tell her again. "Thought I wouldn't find out?"

Her eyes are narrow as confusion furrows her brows. "What are you talking about, Shepard?"

I glare back, taking a final step toward her. This time I'm close and she's forced to tilt her head up to look at me. "Drinking. With the gang last night, remember any of that?"

Her face heats and she steps away. "That isn't any of your business. Now leave, Shepard, we're closed." Connie adds, snatching up the wrath she left behind and strutting toward the counter. Only, she doesn't make it very far.

"What t'hell is wrong with you?" I grit my teeth, whipping her around to face me. She gasps, my hands squeezing her arms. "Drinking isn't a soc's game, Connie. My brother isn't a soc's game."

Connie's face shifts but she pushes me away. "Let go of me, Shepard. And what is it anyway? You don't control me!" She yanks herself out of my grasp but I grab her before she can go more than an inch.

Furry bubbles in my chest. I know what happened last night. How could I not? I was there after all, but I hardly doubt she remembers that part of the night. Besides, she was shit-faced and lonely, a formidable combination for my drunk dimwitted little brother.

"Control you?" I scoff. "No. You're mine, little soc. All mine. Not Curly's. Not nobody's. You got that?"

She tugs against the grip I have on her, eyes beaming with rage. "Screw you! What does Curly have anything to do with this? You want to start shit with the River Kings; fine! But don't drag your gang or your brother down with you!"

The gang war is the last thing on my mind and I push her harshly against a nearby table, not nearly hard enough to hurt her, but she gasps in shock at the sudden movement.

"Curly has everything to do with this," I growl and Connie's face reddens, she knows what I'm about to say. "You think you can kiss him and get away with it while you belong to me."