He seems to think it’s okay to pull Dove into a hug, and she lets him, stiffly resting her body briefly against his like one of those plastic dolls that won’t bend.
I am already in a half-primal state and my mind swims with vivid images of grabbing him by his curly hair and ripping his throat to sinewy threads between my teeth just for the crime of touching her.
Luckily for him, he pulls away, takes a step back, and stares at her. That shit-eating grin still stamped across his face.
“You look…different,” he says.
“Yeah.” She nods. “You too.”
“Good for you.”
Her eye twitches, like that phrase triggers a deep, unsettled madness.
I slip my arm around Dove, resting my hand on the small of her back.This is mine.
Dove reaches back and puts her hand on my chest, as though she’s just remembering I exist. “This is Dorian.”
Shawn’s eyes flicker over me, sizing me up. “Cool. Hey, dude.” He extends his hand. I take it.
Fuck you, you don’t deserve to breathe the same air as Dove. Touch her again and I’ll rip your hands off and shove them down your throat. I attempt to convey all of this through the grip of my hand while I smile through gritted teeth.
When I release him from my fuck-you hand shake, he puts his hand on the woman’s shoulder. “This is my girlfriend, Ginger.”
“Nice to meet you!” she says. I was too angry to see her before. I take stock of her now. She’s all smiles, with this little black band around her throat, a pink heart at the middle. She has this clueless look in her eyes that’s, honestly, almost heartbreaking as she glances between the two of them. “How do you know each other?”
“We used to date.” Shawn shrugs, like it’s nothing.
My anger tastes like battery acid on my tongue.
Dove nods to the bouncy castle. “Are you guys going in?”
“It looks fun!” Ginger says, glancing back at the pile of humans bouncing around.
“Yeah,” Shawn snorts, “if you’re twelve.”
He doesn’t even notice how the light goes out of Ginger’s eyes. My heart really does go out to the poor thing. It’s like watching a baby seal twist around in a bear trap.Fuck you, you fucking monster.
“Well, spank my ass and take me to Claire’s, because I’m definitely going in,” Dove says.
I slip my hand to the back of Dove’s neck. “Absolutely. I’ll try anything once.”
Dove leans into me. We’re being extra touchy-feely in front of them. “He’s a saint.”
“She’s a killer.”
I kiss the side of her head, and under the pounding music, I whisper in Dove’s ear, “Want to make him regret his life?”
She doesn’t speak, but she responds affirmatively with a, “Mmhm.”
“Unhinge your jaw when I kiss you.”
I clutch Dove’s chin, tilt her upwards, and claim her in a deep, possessive kiss.
She initially goes stiff with surprise, but then she melts into me. Obediently, she unlocks her jaw, letting my tongue invade her. I taste her, swiping my tongue against hers. My blood’s too hot, my grip too tight, my kiss too rough. But Dove loves it and she lets out a soft, quiet moan that’s for me, and only me.
Mine, I want to say.Mine, and look what you gave up, you fucking idiot.
When we break, we’re both short of breath.
