Page 204 of Forever Relentless

“Good.” Her hands tugged at my T-shirt. “Show me how much you like it, Noah.”

I huffed out a breath that was half laugh, half surrender. “You’re impossible to keep up with.”

“Mmhmm.” She kissed me again, this time more slowly, her lips soft against mine, but her grip on my shirt was stubborn. “And you like me anyway.”

“Unfortunately, that is true.”

She pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyebrow lifting. “Unfortunately?”

I slid my hands down her back, easing her feet back to the floor but not letting her move away. My forehead rested against hers for a second while I tried to get my breathing under control.

“You just told me to stay here out of spite,” I said quietly. “That’s not exactly a compelling life plan.”

“It’s a very compelling life plan,” she shot back. “Revenge can be an excellent motivator.”

“Spoken like someone who got herself hired under a fake name.”

She rolled her eyes. “Old news.”

“Is it?” I laughed, moving away from her.

Briar shoved lightly at my chest, but she followed me when I stepped back. “You still want to go?” she asked with concern.

“I figured it solved the problem,” I said eventually, my eyes flicking to the door.

“You’re running from them?” Briar reached for me. “Noah . . .”

I caught her hands in mine. “Not running, removing myself from the board.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s not how the game is played, Noah.”

“It is if there’s a known problem.”

“You’re not the problem.” She reached up, her lips grazing mine.

I looked down at her. “You want to tell them that?”

“They know it.” She jabbed a finger into my chest. “You made a deal to protect people. That doesn’t make you the villain.”

“I’m not the hero.” I scratched my jaw. “I betrayed them when I went to Cardinal and asked about a transfer.”

“Ah.” Her voice had gone softer again. “You don’t want to be their villain? Then don’t leave them.” She sighed. “Fight. It’s what you’re good at.”

The room went quiet. My hand drifted up, brushing a strand of hair back from her face without really thinking about it.

“I thought you were mad at me?” I said.

“Yes.”

“But you’re still here?”

“Yes.”

I studied her for a second. “Those two things don’t usually go together.”

“Well,” she said dryly, “welcome to the complicated emotional landscape of adult relationships.”

I snorted. “It sounds exhausting.”