*Hayes*

"No one goes anywhere alone," I remind her, my voice threatening as I take two steps after her. Her red hair flips around, loose strands brushing over her flushed cheeks as her eyes bore into mine.

"Send someone with me and they will come back with a black eye." She says. It almost sounds like a warning, but the more I see the anger burning behind her glare, the more I realize she is making me a promise. "Even Marcos?" I murmur low enough for her to hear, then I quirk a single brow in retaliation for her attitude.

"I don't discriminate when I am angry." She says, taking two steps away before she turns on her heels and walks off into the trees.

I watch her with my stomach twisting in knots as my fingers twitch and my jaw clenches. She walks off gracefully with her head held high and yet, my eyes fall to her waist, watching it sway from side to side like a sex crazed idiot.

Should I have stopped myself? Maybe. Did I want to? No, and therein lies the problem. Nisha used to scratch an itch. For many of us, but that is why Koda does not care about her past.

We meant nothing to her, and she meant nothing to us. She is a friend, someone who was as broken as the rest of us, just seeking comfort for a night, a way to forget and not look back.

But Kyra...She tastes like my past and somehow my future. I restrained myself long enough to make sure she was willing and okay with what happened... but beyond that; I was selfish, and I didn't need another reason to hate myself. And yet, here I am, crossing off another mark. Reason five hundred something for why I deserve to die.

"Everything all good?" Dean asks, stepping up next to me.

"Yep." I lie and from the corner of my eye, I can see him nodding.

"So we are going to lie to each other now?" He asks, and I look over my shoulder for the others. Koda and Nisha chat with Marcos, who watches the place where Kyra disappeared as if trying to will her back.

"Does it count as a lie if I'm lying to myself about it, too?" I mutter, my chest rising with a deep inhale before I blow the air through my nose, trying to center myself. Kyra seems to weave her wed around me in every damn way possible, and I am tethered to her. Everything about her just...sets me off.

"Maybe you should go after her," He offers and I scoff.

"Are you kidding me? She will one hundred percent punch anyone who goes after her." I snort. "No, I will let her calm down and when she comes back, everything will be fine."

will be worse." Dean says, and I scowl

fucking helpful." I mutter

be helpful, just trying to

with a look of worry. "Can

leaving me with the only person I feel like beating to a pulp for no reason. Well, perhaps there is a reason, but not one I am ready to

you or Kyra have any injuries that needed to be looked

is obvious he is disappointed, or at least forlorn. Clearly, he likes Kyra as much as she likes him.

she didn't mean to. Even if I don't deserve it or her, I was the one she sought comfort and pleasure

and knocked out for some time, but

asks, disbelieving. I adjust my stance, turning toward him as I cross my arms over my chest and look

could see her wounds healing as she slept." I tell him, my voice harsh, to remind him I am still the person in charge here, even if he doesn't like me very much right now. "And you didn't think that maybe her agreeing

assure you, Kyra was

to say no and

el.Ket

over my teeth when realize he is insinuating I took advantage of her in some

second, my heart stutters...is he right? Did I take advantage of her when she was injured? Had she seemed like she wasn't in control of her

And the spark...the one I can still feel at my fingertips. My hands clench and I scoff, chuckling I dryly as I pace away from him, only to

you saying you think I took advantage of her, Marcos?" I grit out. He blinks at me, his

He says. "Did you take advantage of her, Hayes? Are you

Fuck.

a

of her." I say, certain. Well, mostly certain. "I know Kyra better than I know myself. Not only would I never do anything to hurt her, I would have been able to read her enough to know she wasn't being herself." He exhales deeply, looking comforted by my answer. "This may sound off but, how

I think back, trying to recall how she looked before I pulled the shirt over her

in dirt and mud, so verifying what was bruising and mud wasn't exactly easy. And when we had sex, I didn't exactly undress her. It was unromantic, and

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