Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 207

Needing You Turned Into an Obsession

I don't remember running up the stairs. My feet move on their own, slamming against the

hardwood.

I was suffocating down there. I was struggling to stand.

Zaid's words still ring in my ears. The faces of the detectives as they looked at Jake when my mother told them what he was doing. The judgment in their eyes they couldn't quite

hide.

The rage in my mother's voice was nothing new, but her disgust at Jake was scarring.

Jake, who married my mother for me.

My chest caves in around my heart, everything tightening until I can't breathe. I stumble into my room, fisting the doorknob, ready to shut out the world and scream into my pillow until I pass out from the blinding headache.

But the door doesn't close. I hear a string of words, and then a foot slams into the crack,

stopping it from shutting.

"Don't," I whisper, backing away just as the door creaks open again. I expect it to be Zaid,

but he is the last person I want to see right now.

The last person I want to see me in my shame. But it's not him.

Jake steps in, his face filled with regret. His eyes drink me in, like he's trying to assess the

damage.

"Shit, baby," he breathes, his shoulders dropping, his voice raw. "I'm sorry."

I don't hesitate. I crash into him, my body colliding with his like it's muscle memory. I bury my face into his chest and sob, ugly, shaking, breath stealing sobs.

I don't care what Zaid said. I don't care that it's wrong or twisted or that the world might never understand. I ignored the red flags because being him felt good; losing myself to him in the car that first time made me feel something.

I wanted it.

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Turned

choke out, my fingers curling into his shirt. "I didn't mean for it to get this far. I didn't mean for the cops to show up. This is

to shield me from all of it. He kisses the

says firmly. "You have nothing to apologize for. This is on me. I should've

back just enough to look up at him,

don't regret you.

his eyes flickering with something soft and sad. "The best thing I can do for you is take a step

It doesn't skip entirely. The thought of losing him isn't as painful as losing Zaid. Jake can't break me

want

he's struggling, like he wants to believe me but doesn't know how to forgive himself for this, like he doesn't

can't help himself, he leans in, brushing

like goodbye is

mine, and the

breath, my fingers tangled in the

want to kiss

in his eyes. The kiss stole something from him, or maybe it gave him the

back, his thumb brushing along the edge of my jaw. And then he exhales, like he's

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You Turned Into

in the

my stomach

He doesn't stop.

smile, "and you're eighteen. You're just starting your life, Alina. You should be worried about college or falling in love for the first time. Not this.

him. Tell him he is who I want. But

I met you, it was like a breath of fresh air. Like I could breathe again after years of feeling like everything was just

prickles, goosebumps everywhere. My arms. My legs.

like it only confirms what he's already feeling. But he doesn't touch me. He's

And needing you turned into an obsession. I watched myself lose

don't know if they're mine or his or

this apart, trying to figure out where I crossed the line. But the truth

a breath, but it doesn't go down all