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His right hand trails across my collarbone, landing on my neck where he feels for the rapid beat of my pulse. He groans, and then, finally, for the first time since his dick entered me last night, his lips find mine. Pressure fills my chest while heat floods my body.
Raw and ravenous.
Ruined.When my eyes open, I feel as if I only just drifted off. Last night was intense. From being with Alec and the attempted break-in to learning about my dad’s off-color contracts, my brain is exhausted. I feel for Alec, finding he’s not in his place beside me, but when I look across the room, I see him sitting in the armchair across from the bed.
His brows slightly pull in as he looks at me, and I slowly sit up to see him better.
Alec looks off for a moment before his gaze meets mine again. “I have to go back, end this.”
Back.
He needs to go return to where he’s been the last two years, but ... how will he stop this on his own?
“I’ll go with you.”
“You can’t.” He dimly shakes his head.
I shift to stand, suddenly wide-awake. “Don’t tell me I can’t. I am!”
He narrows his eyes, standing as well so that he can look down on me. “You will not. I can’t take you into the lion’s den with meat strapped to your back, Oakley.”
“Then, what? Huh? Where will I go?”
He delays for a moment before his eyes come back to mine. “Rowan’s.”
A bitter laugh leaves me. “I … no. No.”
“There’s no other option.”
“This is bullshit! I’m so tired of everyone else deciding what’s best for me.”
“You think I want you there?” he shouts. “After everything last night, you think I want you within ten feet of him? Fuck. No. But he’s all we’ve got, Oakley. If not him, tell me who because I’m all for another fucking choice.”
I can’t help it, and I start to cry.
He looks away, swallowing hard. “Go pack some things. I’ll call him and tell him to come now.”
I nod and leave him to make his call, heading for my room to gather what I’ll need.
In no rush to leave, I take my time in getting my stuff together, lowering myself to my mattress once I’m done.
I stare at the bright ray of light that peeks through my curtain. I’m not sure what I expected today to bring, but Alec leaving was the last thing on my mind.
Everything’s changed. Last night solidified what I’d been feeling lately, and it’s him. Only him.
It’s crazy to think not too long ago, this man wasn’t even on my radar, yet today, he’s all I see.
And, now, I feel shorted. I want more time with him to learn of all the things I missed along the way when I was blinded by another. I can’t help but feel like I’ll never get it.
Alec’s leaving, and I have to stay with Rowan. At least until my dad can get back here in the next few days.
It’s the last thing I want, especially when everything finally feels right.
I glance up when I see Alec’s shadow in the doorway.
He stares at me, his eyes tight around the edges, and I offer a sad smile.
He pushes off the frame and comes to stand in front of me.
My head tilts back to look up at him, and he runs the backs of his fingers across my cheek, causing my eyes to close.
“It’s only for a little while. A couple of weeks maybe.”
Tears threaten to fill my eyes, but I force them away. He’s doing this for me, and I don’t want to make this harder for either of us.
I feel him grow closer, and then his lips land on mine.
His kiss is strong, telling. It’s a slow, rhythmic dance, full of wishes and worry.
His promise to return, my promise to be here, waiting, when he does.
When a knock sounds at the door, he pulls back, dropping his forehead to mine. “Time to go, baby.”
I nod, swallowing my disappointment, and reach for his hand, needing to touch him as long as possible.
He turns to me when we reach the door, and I see the dread lining his green eyes, I’m sure the same is reflecting in my own.
The knocking sounds again, harder this time. I give a small nod, and he pulls open the door. We both freeze when we find a police officer on the other side with a man in a suit behind him.
“Oakley Rivera and Alec Daniels?”
Alec’s grip on my hand tightens, and he shifts so I’m slightly behind him. “Yeah?”
“I’m Officer Bennett, and this is Detective Murphy.”
I glance from the man in uniform to the other one.
“We regret having to be here under these circumstances, Ms. Rivera, but your father was killed last night.”
All the air leaves my lungs in a loud swoosh, and I lose my balance, my knees buckling beneath me. Alec catches my body before it hits the floor and spins me into him.
