"Look, it's nothing. I wanted to explain, but you're right, there's really nothing to say, is there? We're over."
After several agonizing moments, he spoke, his voice carefully modulated. "Yes, we are, and I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. You have every right to be with someone like you, someone ... human," he said. "Someone you can hold and love without fearing for your life. Like him." She remained silent. "You should be worrying about school and parties and dates, not whether some monster is going to rip your throat out." Victoria flinched even as he continued. "You've moved on, and that's good."
The rational, sane part of her agreed with him, the reasons why they shouldn't be together were obvious—he was as much a danger to her as she was to him, and she'd nearly killed him when they'd been together last. Yet at his words, something inside Victoria cracked.
"That's just it, I haven't moved on," she cried, everything she'd been holding in suddenly exploding within her. "I haven't been able to let you go, even though God knows I have tried. And I hate you for doing this, for making me this ... weak."
"Victoria—"
"Please, don't."
Victoria.
Christian couldn't help himself. Her stunning admission crippled any resolve he'd had. He caught her shoulders and pulled her to him taking her lips in a desperate kiss. She couldn't help herself either, kissing him back with everything she'd boxed away in her heart, every single bit of emotion she'd suppressed since they day she had left his house. The kiss decimated her.
Victoria broke away, gasping. What was she doing?
"Please," she whispered, "just go."
With a searching look Christian left, and she almost collapsed against the building. She touched a finger to her burning lips. Her mind and body felt like two separate things. She couldn't even begin to process the feelings Christian's kiss had kindled. Her brain spun with dizzying intensity as forgotten emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Seeing him had been torture. Kissing him had been excruciating.
Suddenly across the street, movement caught her eye as a person stepped away from a dark car parked in the shadows. Victoria tensed, her body already preparing for attack, as the stranger's features became clearer in the light. Her stomach flipped and soured immediately.
"Oh, hi Gabe," she said, wondering just how long he had been there. Gabriel's face was cold, his normally open smile was grimly absent and his lips were a hard, flat line. He'd been there a while, she guessed.
"I thought you were going to Holly's?" he said.
"Gabe—"
"Don't Gabe me," he said. "I saw you! I saw you with him! Devereux." His eyes were twin discs of ice. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"No. Not my boyfriend," she said, conscious of being cornered near the narrow doorway. She had never seen Gabriel this upset and a hollow feeling started to spread in her stomach in response to his ominous tone.
"So what is he then that you can kiss him so ... passionately?" Gabriel said. "Or do you kiss everyone like that?"
"No, he is ... was a friend ..." she said her voice shaking then trailing off at the vicious glare he sent her way. "Gabriel, I don't know what you want me to say."
"Devereux?" he hissed. "Is that why you got so weird earlier?" Victoria flushed and stared at the ground, and the silent admission of guilt seemed to make Gabriel even more incensed. "I changed everything for you. And you're with him? And you lie about it to my face!"
He was right in front of her, his face dark and menacing and for the first time since she had known him, Victoria felt afraid, as if he could really hurt her without thinking twice about it. The corrosive hatred that she usually saw directed toward Angie was now directed toward her in unbridled measure.
"Gabe, please," she said. "I'm not with anyone. I have always told you—"
"Told me what? That you're just 'not in a dating mode right now?'" His laugh was bitter. "Obviously you are, just not with me, right?"
"Come on, Gabriel, you're my friend, you know that."
"Friend? Is Devereux just your friend or is he a friend with benefits? Or does he just take what he wants? Is that what you like, Tori?" he said, as he ran his fingers down the side of her face. Victoria flinched, her heart in her throat. She didn't want to have to hurt Gabriel, after all he had just seen her kissing someone else, but if he threatened her, she would have no choice. His hands slid down her jaw and closed around her neck slowly. His eyes were full of malice and every muscle in his body was coiled as tight as a spring. He wanted to punish her; she could see it in his eyes.