AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My heart races, and adrenaline fills my veins. This is what I’m used to feeling—a rush of danger and excitement. I have no idea what to do with this calm, safe feeling in Lennox’s bed.
I get out of bed and search through Lennox’s dresser for a sweatshirt. I find one and pull it over his T-shirt I’m wearing, but I don’t see suitable shoes anywhere. The only shoes I have are my high heels, and Lennox’s shoes are far too big.
I sigh—I guess I’m going barefoot.
I creep down the stairs, trying to decide if I should tell Lennox what I’m doing or not. He did say I could keep Kit. I can love Kit; I just have to marry Lennox. Even though it’s after two in the morning, Lennox has nothing to be upset about.
Plus, if I wake him, Lennox will just insist on coming with me to keep me safe. And after the last encounter between them, I don’t want Lennox to try to kill Kit again. Even if Lennox has agreed to let me keep Kit, I’m not sure I believe him yet. I’m not sure I believe any of it.
When I reach the first floor, I look over at Lennox on the couch. He’s sound asleep with a pillow shoved over his ear.
I smile at how ridiculous he looks and decide against waking him. My grumpy future husband needs sleep, and I can sneak out and back in before he gets up.
I slip out the door, carefully closing it behind me. I expect to find Hayes or Gage keeping guard in the hallway, but I find it empty.
Hmmm.
I look around for cameras, assuming one of them is watching.
“I’ll be right back. I’ll be safe. I’m just going to see Kit, and Lennox is okay with it,” I whisper to what I think is a camera in the corner of the hallway.
I wait a second to see if one of them is going to burst out from a nearby door and try to prevent me from leaving, but nothing happens.
I grin and head to the elevator banks. I’m downstairs in less than five minutes from when I texted Kit, so I don’t expect him to be outside yet. But as I reach the lobby, his Corvette pulls up outside, and my smile reaches my eyes.
I chew my bottom lip, trying to hide my excitement as I run out. The second I take a step out of the building, rain pelts down on me, and my bare feet become instantly cold and wet. I don’t care, though—I just need Kit right now.
I jump into the passenger seat of his car with childish glee. Before I can even say anything, Kit pulls me to him and kisses me aggressively.
I melt into his hold and allow his kisses to warm my chilled body. I don’t know what I’m going to do about Lennox, but I do know that letting me keep Kit is the greatest gift he could give me. I don’t know how I’m going to love him in the shadows, though. I don’t know how I’m going to contain and cover up my love for him.
My heart overwhelms me, and tears start welling in my eyes. I shiver, trying to shake the hurricane of hot and cold in my head and body.
“Baby, are you okay? You’re shivering. And are you crying?” Kit asks with concern.
“Some of the rain got in my eyes,” I lie as I wipe my eyes on the sleeves of Lennox’s sweatshirt. “I’m fine.”
Kit frowns. “You’re not fine. You’re being forced to marry a man you hate. That’s not fine.”
I stroke Kit’s smooth face and stare into his green eyes. They’re full of sadness at seeing me lose myself. Kit is the opposite of Lennox in every way. He’s sunshine, fun, and excitement. He exonerates his youth. His hair is short and light, while Lennox’s unkempt locks are dark. Kit’s skin is unmarked, while Lennox’s is covered in tattoos. Kit has an honest job as a sales associate, while Lennox is an aspiring mob boss. Kit is an angel, and Lennox is the devil. Kit has my heart; Lennox my hate.
“We could run away. I have a passport and plenty of money saved. Let’s start a new life somewhere else,” he says with hope in his eyes, even though he’s asked me a million times.
I shake my head. “We can’t. They would find us. There’s nowhere we could go that they wouldn’t find us.”Plus, I wouldn’t do that to River or Vincent. Despite everything that’s happened, I love them both and don’t want to abandon them.
Kit sighs. “Then where to for tonight?”
I grip the back of his neck, stroke his face, and pull him into another kiss. “Somewhere where I can pretend we’re back in Mississippi, sneaking out of our parents’ houses and making out under the stars.”
Kit’s eyes twinkle with delight. “I can do that. Your fiancé won’t be following us and trying to kill me again?”
“No, Lennox won’t try to kill you anymore, I promise.”
We have a lot to talk about, but first, I need to feel like a normal twenty-one-year-old. I at least need to pretend I have my whole future ahead of me and can date and marry anyone I want.
Kit zips away, driving quickly as I roll down my window to feel the breeze in my hair. It’s not the same as driving through the countryside, but the city is relatively quiet. If I close my eyes, it’s not hard to pretend we’re out in nature instead of in the middle of a busy city.
The car stops, and I open my eyes to find Kit staring back at me with a flicker of desire in his eyes.
