Page 63 of Forged in Rain

Cyn growls beside me but sits back, and everything goes back to normal except my heart is beating out of my chest because I just claimed him, and he let me.

Fuck.

∞∞∞

During fifth period, Bastion leans over and says, “What did Iris want?”

“She wanted me to give in, but for what I don’t know,” I mutter, my earlier euphoria fading.

Cyn kissed me so wildly my toes curled before sending me off to class, and I’d rather be concentrating on that. But, of course, reality has to intrude.

“Hm,” he mutters, staring into the distance.

“What do you think is going on?” I ask after a moment.

With a dark expression, he says, “I think she’s lost her fucking mind.”

“Yeah,” I say with a sigh, turning my focus to the lesson.

After class, I gravitate to the bleachers overlooking the fields, spying Jig and Cyn almost immediately. Jig has his customary smirk in place, and he nods at Anya when she walks by, but Cyn barely spares her a glance before searching the bleachers in the expectation that I’m here.

With a little thrill, I make eye contact, shivering when his mouth curls in a wicked smile. I don’t know if it’s foolish even to consider being with him. Okay, yes, it is, but I can’t help it. He makes me see myself in a whole new light, and I crave him as I’ve never craved anything.

He can be frustrating and completely consuming, but he also forces me to be strong. We’re at odds more than ever, but with him, I feel like I can do anything.

Is it wrong to take what I want? No, but I’ll regret it if he’s using me again. Ugh.

He stalks toward me, grabbing a sweatshirt lying on the ground before stepping up the bleachers and pulling it over my head. Hiding my smile, I push my arms through the sleeves and breathe in his scent, resisting the urge to snuggle into the warm fabric that smells so yummy.

With another devastating smirk, he grabs my neck and kisses me fiercely before walking away.

Dazed, I touch my lips and drop my hand when I spy him looking back, rolling my eyes at his devilish look. He knows he’s got me, but I think I’ve got him, too.

“Hey,” Oscar says above me.

“Hey,” I mumble.

He sits down beside me and looks out over the fields, same as me, although I suspect he’s not staring at Cyn’s ass. Is there anything about him that’s a turnoff?

“So,” he says, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

“What?” I mutter, my stomach knotting. Can’t I have five fucking minutes drama-free?

“Iris has been flapping her lips,” he says, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“About what?”

“Says you slept with Cyn to get in with the guys, and now you’re their plaything.”

“Excellent,” I say dryly. What’s her game now?

“Yeah, well, as you can imagine, the girls around here aren’t pleased.”

“I know,” I say sourly, my black eye itching.

“Rain,” he says, and I turn at his hesitant tone just as Cyn swivels my way and narrows his gaze.

“What?”

---