Page 85 of Made for Cyn

Turning in a circle, I ignore him and my stupid heart as I consider Iris’ method for chasing her pain. I eye each guy with consideration, skipping over the contenders until I stop on a dude I don’t recognize. I don’t think he goes to our school, or if he does, he doesn’t sit with the guys.

He looks nothing like Cyn, with his pretty blue eyes, punkish appearance, faux hawk, and earrings in every orifice. As a matter of fact, he reminds me of Jig, and he’s not typically someone I would be attracted to, but since that comprises Cyn and only Cyn, I look past it and smile widely when he meets my gaze.

Perfect. I don’t fucking need more, just this and him. He stands from the log as I approach, and when I stop before him with my best attempt at a sultry smile, I spy Jig surrounded by a bevy of chicks, standing behind him with a scowl aimed directly at me.

Ignoring him too because he’s a dick, I say breathily, “Hi, I’m Rain.”

Iris is nowhere in sight. I don’t see Bastion, and I hope she’s not with him, but I’m sure either way, she’s fucking a dude, and once again, I feel a pulse of worry for my cousin.

“I know. Tim,” he says, and up close, I see his blue eyes contain a harshness that belies his smile.

Perhaps he’s seen more of the world and its cruelty than most, but that’s just fine with me because so have I, and much of it includes the guy, no doubt fucking Shelby behind me.

Touching his arm, I skip the flirting and foreplay because my chest burns with rage. I can play too, monkey fucker.

Cocking my head to the side, I stare at him with a smile. “You want to go somewhere quieter?”

His eyes darken, and he glances around, licking his lips before nodding and grabbing my hand. A last glance back reveals that Cyn is no longer in the clearing, and with a bitter smile, I acknowledge he is indeed fucking her again.

No matter, because I’m about to do the same, and maybe this goes against everything I’ve been preaching, but I want Cyn to feel my pain. Maybe Jig’s words about how he hurts make more sense now. I don’t know, but I’m tired of the games and tired of being cast aside. This time I’m choosing what I want.

Tim is on me before we pass the trees beyond the fire, and numbly, I return the kiss with images of Cyn’s face as he surged inside of me flashing before my eyes.

I open my mouth and allow him inside, enduring his sloppy lips, sucking me clumsily, before I slump in defeat. I don’t want sex like this, not meaningless, because if I do, I might as well go back to Saul or even Uncle John.

With misery and a good dose of horror pumping in my heart, I move to step back, putting my arm on his chest. But he’s ripped away before I can say anything, and Cyn’s thunderous face takes his place.

He looks me up and down with glittering eyes before turning and shouting in Tim’s face, “I thought I made myself clear.”

Tim raises his hands, his face pale. “I thought you were done since you were fucking Shelby.”

My galloping heart clenches painfully at the reminder, and I gasp, but Cyn ignores me and snarls, “I’m not done! Stay the fuck away.”

Incredulously, I watch as he punches poor Tim in the face before I step between them and poke Cyn in the chest. He backs off with a sneer and I look him in the eye. “You’re both disgusting. You were just fucking some other chick. You don’t have the right to tell me what to do.”

Swinging toward Tim, practically shaking in his damn boots, I wave my arms wildly in the air and snarl, “And you . . . you thought he was done with me?”

But my tirade is cut off when Shelby comes stumbling along, looking perfectly mussed and stepping up beside Cyn. I can’t contain my growl and I step toward her with a hiss, ignoring Cyn as he pulls away from her roughly.

She frowns at him, tossing her dark hair as she turns to me with an ugly sneer. “What’s the matter? You thought you were special because you’re a virgin?”

I lose my shit. All rational thought flees in the wake of her ugly face and stupid words because she picked a bad night to come at me. I mean, I’m still recovering from the adrenaline high of thinking I was going to die.

With a maniacal laugh that brings Cyn’s head around, I slam my fist against her cheek. She rears back, stunned, before jumping on me, and the next thing I know, we’re rolling around on the ground and Jig is saying in the background, “Oh shit, LB’s got a mean right hook.”

Shelby manages to punch me in the eye before I slam her in the head again, but then she’s lifted from me and into Cyn’s arms, and the sight makes my heart pinch wretchedly. Turning over, I gasp as pain ricochets down my spine because apparently, I hit the ground harder than I thought, and my wounds blaze across my skin in an arc of pain that takes my breath away.

“Fuck,” I whimper, pulling to my feet and stomping away toward the fire.

Shelby calls out behind me, “Come back, bitch, so I can kick your ass.”

Snorting, I ignore her, appalled by my behavior even if I don’t regret attacking her, but I can’t fucking be here. I’m so fucking mad that I see stars, and if I stay, I’m going to say and do a lot of things I’m quite sure I won’t be proud of. Besides, I have some dignity.

I’m halfway to the parking area when Cyn catches up and pulls me into his arms. Immediately I stiffen, shocked by his gall, before I struggle against him.

Growling, he clenches me tighter. “Stop.”

“Ha!” I scream, flailing wildly when he carries me to the SUV and opens the door. “Iris—”

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