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My ears start to ring.

I can feel the panic rising, followed by a blinding headache and a surge of emotions I can’t seem to shut down.

I need to leave.

Right now.

I run my palms down my shirt, smoothing the fabric as if fixing my clothes could fix the chaos inside my head.

“It’s just fireworks…” Cillian pants, completely unraveled. His eyes are heavy with lust, and his lips swollen from our kiss.

God, I want to taste him again.

No—Shut it down.

I have to get out of this room.

I press my finger to my earpiece. “Need a guard change at the main office. Now.”

“On it,” Law answers instantly.

“Knox—”

“Stay.” I point a firm finger at Cillian, pinning him with a look.

I pull him off the desk and sit him down in one of the office’s chairs and cover him with one of the couch pillows… not like it helps since Cillian is half naked, damp, and rocking a full-on erection under the tiniest briefs known to mankind.

But now at least Law won’t find him sprawled over the desk, panting with lust.

That’s only for me to see—No.

Not even for me to see.

Stop this, Knox.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

I pull the door open to find Law standing there.

“Thanks,” I choke, sprinting past him into the hallway and leaving the two of them behind.

I run through the house, ignoring the guests, and head straight out to the far edge of the front garden. I find the one blind spot where the security cameras don’t reach and no one is around.

I reach a line of tall, bushy trees, lean against one, and draw a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

But there is no running from Cillian, because two seconds later, the memory of the kiss flashes behind my eyes.

The taste of him… The way he felt beneath my hands.

Fuck, no!

The anger rushes right back.

Not him.

I can’t like him.

“Damn it!” I punch a tree, and blood flows from my knuckles, but nothing hurts as much as the realization that I’m starting to have feelings for the man I’ll never let myself be with.