A Thousand Storms

09 lethal

Song: Chasing Fire - Lauv

*

Mason

We reached the apartment in just over fifteen minutes, like I'd promised.

Ever had obviously been uncomfortable with those heels she'd chosen to wear. She kept making a small, pained noise every two minutes.

I had begun to inwardly flinch with every tap it made on the surface of the street, feeling the pain with her.

Heck, I would have offered to carry her, but with that red dress of hers...it was something both of us didn't need.

She had worn a dress for him.

I had gone batshit crazy when I saw her walk out with Caleb. Caleb of all people.

Seeing her with that goddamn red dress...

Another part wanted nothing more than to pry away Caleb's inconvenient fingers from hers when they had their hands clasped together.

He was comforting her, protecting her...from me.

And I would have been fine with it. He was everything she needed. I would have let him try for her in peace after today, like he so clearly wanted me to.

Caleb was different to me in the sense that he had clear goals, and an objective mind. Once he wanted something, he would go out of his way to get it. He knew how to prioritise.

But he'd left her.

He'd left her at that bar, alone.

I knew she was there, but it was difficult to keep an eye on her with so many moving bodies while she was so far away.

When I finally found her, her hair was undone, her face covered in tears, and that douche was gripping on her arm and touching her chest.

I exploded.

I knew Caleb would be annoyed that I brought Gabby along with me. I just wish that vexation hadn't been reflected in Ever's eyes as well.

What was wrong with me?

Why did I care what she felt for me? I found myself going over every single word I'd exchanged with her, over and over.

She already thought I was an asshole, so there was not much I could lose.

As for that fucking tool that tried to touch her...

I would have killed him.

I would have ripped him apart with my bare hands if I could help anything.

Seeing the look of pure fear on her face made me inexplicably angry.

It made me angry because I knew true fear all too well, and I would not have wished that sort of feeling on anyone.

But I quickly realized that there were smarter ways to deal with problems. I had Logan take a picture of him, and let him run away on his pathetic little legs.

After all, there was only so far he could run.

She was quiet for most of the time we walked back to the apartment. Again, it hadn't felt right.

I knew that I had planned to stay away from her, to protect her from myself, but she was like a ray of sunshine and I was so very, very cold.

So starved of warmth, and attracted to her in more ways than one—ways I failed to understand no matter how hard I tried.

So when she asked me to teach her self defence, my impulse reaction was to say yes. But instead I'd spewed out some shit about not being professional enough.