I'll Come Back for You

Chapter Eleven:

Hello! Here is Chapter Eleven! I'm sorry if the story seems to be dragging a little bit. I promise it'll start to pick up soon!

Up top is my version of Dimitri and Kaliah's kiss.

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to vote and comment!

-VIVKELLER23

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"We're like fire and gasoline. I'm no good for you, you're no good for me. We only bring each other tears and sorrow."

Was it the music or the result of being on a beach below a starry night that made her turn to jelly in his arms? The haunting words Ronan belted out brought goosebumps to her flesh. They called to a deep part of her soul, the sappy, romantic part of her that related so entirely to anything remotely sad or heartbreaking.

She knew she should be running for the hills. Dimitri was dangerous to her. He'd already nearly destroyed her once. Yet she didn't have the strength or the sense to walk away. She was weak when his arms felt so good around her. They felt so right.

Her head rested on his broad shoulder as he turned them in a slow circle. His hand on her lower back brought her tightly against him, almost as if he couldn't get her close enough. "We never did dance like this before, Sunshine," his voice flowed over her like honey. "You feel good in my arms."

"Mmmm," she hummed by way of a response. She didn't want to talk. Talking meant she'd have to think. Kaliah didn't want to think about anything. She wanted to feel. She had time enough to think for the rest of her life, and she'd regret tonight. Later. For now, it was enough to sway in his arms and pretend this was all they had. Tomorrow would come with the sunrise. She'd think then.

"You shouldn't have gone up there, Kaliah," he whispered into her hair. His lips trailed over her head, leaving a trail of kisses along her skin. "I was going to drag you off. I didn't care about the audience. I hated seeing you up there when you couldn't be there with me."

"You can't have everything the way you want, Popstar," she replied.

He chuckled, his chest rumbling under the hands she'd splayed above his heart. "Don't I know it." He nibbled on her ear, catching the lobe between his teeth. When she shivered, he drew both arms about her small waist. "You kill me with those eyes, Sunshine. You paralyze me until all I can do is stare and hope I'm the only one you look at like that."

"Were you going to lecture me?"

"Yes. No. I don't know anymore." Dimitri's lack of an answer was so out of character for him, she realized he must have been just as affected as she'd been. Just as helpless to the pull that existed between them and had somehow grown stronger with the distance. "Singing in front of everyone after you'd performed for Sydney was risky, Kaliah."

"You loved every minute of it though," she reminded him, lifting her eyes to look at him.

His handsome face was a contortion of pain. "It hasn't changed. I still can't walk away from you without losing a part of myself."

Then don't leave me. The thought was a reflex, she almost said it aloud. But Dimitri would do whatever he wanted. He always had. "I need to go," Kaliah said instead. She backed away from Dimitri's embrace, pulling the ends of her duster around her much like she mentally pulled up her barriers.

He saw the distance she was putting between them. "Kaliah, I don't want to hurt you."

"Maybe you should have stayed away." She almost choked on the words. It hurt to think he would regret coming back at some point. It was killing her to contemplate what it would be like when he left her again. "For both our sakes, you should have left me alone."