AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was fine,” I lied.
“I know that. If anyone can take care of themselves, it’s you. But that doesn’t stop me from worrying. And then the worry turns into wondering. And it is torture thinking of what could be keeping you away. Of who is keeping you away.”
My chest was so tight it felt impossible to breathe when that look of torture filled his eyes. My fingers twitched with the need to calm him. With the need to show him he had it so wrong.
There was a who . . . but it wasn’t anything near what Kieran thought.
I’d barely made it back to the trailer after the meeting with AJ before I’d passed out. I’d managed to crack my eyes open a few times throughout the next day, only to have my pounding head force me back into unconsciousness. By the time I’d managed to wake and stay awake, it was dark again.
I’d sat on my bed the entire night, trying to force myself to go to my street before I’d finally showered and caught a ride here this morning.
There were so many things I needed to continue taking care of. And they would only get worse if I hid here with this devastating man and pretended they didn’t exist for the first time in my life. But I’d needed Kieran’s strength, if only for a little while.
“And now that you’re back?” He huffed and reached for me, his hands stopping inches from my body like he didn’t know how to touch me anymore. “I want to hold you. I want to lock you in here and give you every reason to want to stay. But I can’t stop thinking about why you left and what had you staying away.”
“I wasn’t . . .” I started to shake my head but stopped just as abruptly. “I haven’t been with anyone since that first night with you.”
The look he sent me said more than words could. He wanted to believe me. He couldn’t. He hated that he wasn’t able to.
For once, I didn’t want to laugh. I didn’t want to lash out.
I wanted to cry.
What had I done? It was never supposed to get to this point.
I needed to leave. To walk away before I never wanted this to end.
I had to.
Move, Jess. Run.
My eyes burned. I locked my jaw against the flood of emotions that made me feel so unbearably pathetic. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, wincing when it ached.
Kieran slowly reached for my throat, not caring or stopping when I attempted to move away from him.
His destructive hands were so gentle when they curled under my jaw and lifted.
His reaction was immediate.
The room felt impossibly still and silent. So silent it was deafening.
“Kieran,” I pleaded as I grabbed for his hand.
I was sure I wouldn’t have been able to move him, but his hand fell away easily. When I looked at him, his eyes were still glued to my neck. To the fading bruises.
“I’m fine,” I said softly and reached for his arm.
“Someone does that to you,” he finally said, his voice low and terrifying. “That’s what keeps you away?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“No?” His hands slowly curled then relaxed. Then again. And again. “Then tell me what to think.”
“I told you it’s not something I’ll ever tell you.”
“Jessica, you—” The calm mask of rage abruptly fell. “This wasn’t a client,” he said, remembering our conversation. Wrath swirled in his eyes as seconds dragged by. “Who do you owe?”
“I’ve got it handled.”
