Chapter 16. He Won’t Break Me Again

Xerina’s POV

It was my first kiss, one I had always fantasized would be with him. The sensation was electric, every nerve in my body coming alive. My heart felt like it might burst from my chest, the intensity of the moment overwhelming.

This was my first everything—my first love, my first heartbreak. And it was all his. Only his.

His lips tasted of strong mint and a hint of alcohol. He tasted like my forever, the man who could make me forget everything. A fiery explosion ignited where we connected, spreading through my body, dipping into my stomach, and shaking my fingers, my lips—my entire being. I couldn’t breathe, and for a fraction of a second, I didn’t want to breathe.

At first, his lips didn’t move, and I kept brushing my mouth against his, licking and stroking, desperate for him to respond. I had no idea what I was doing, but I let instinct guide me. The intensity of the moment made my heart race, each beat louder than the last.

My finger