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Locke’s eyes bored into mine, and for a moment, I thought he was going to lash out. But instead, he took a deep breath and stepped back.
“My life was out of control,” I said, calmer. “I had to do something. Me. Not you, not anyone else. Me.”
“I understand that,” he said, his voice low and measured. “I understand wanting to take control, to do something about thepain you’re feeling. But you have to understand that what you did was dangerous. You could have gotten yourself killed.”
I shook my head. “No. I took control of my own safety. Me. I made sure that no one would be lurking in the shadows to hurt me. I wanted to go to sleep every night and know there was no boogie man in the darkness waiting for me. I wanted to end it. Me.” I took a big step away from him and reached for my bin of fish and began pushing it up the cobblestone path. “I did what I had to do to survive. To make sure I could go on living another day. You don’t wait for someone else to save you.”
Locke’s hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly. “You can’t just take justice in your own hands.”
“Why? You were going to. Right?” I shook his hand free and continued to push the fish to the market. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a living to make. Me. Alone.”
Chapter 33
Storee
I should have known better than to think Locke would just let me leave and not follow me home. And maybe a part of me was happy that he didn’t just let me go. Maybe I wanted a man to fight for me so I didn’t have to always be the fighter. Maybe—
“I’m busy, Locke,” I said, my stubborn ass not willing to budge. “I need to get cleaned up,” I added as I opened my front door, trying to close it quickly behind me.
Locke’s foot came between the door and the frame, halting my attempt to shut him out completely. He pushed his way into my small bungalow, his tall frame filling up the space as he looked around, taking in my messy living room. His eyes finally landed on me, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized how close he was standing to me.
Locke crossed his arms, his chiseled jaw clenching in frustration. “We aren’t done.”
My stomach flipped at the sound of his deep voice. I knew I should be angry with him for following me, but I couldn’t deny the way my body reacted to him. The way my pulse quickened and my skin tingled whenever he was near.
“I have nothing to say to you, Locke,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
He leaned in, his lips brushing over my ear as he whispered, “You’re mine, Storee. And I’m not going to let you go.”
I shivered again, but this time it wasn’t from fear. It was from the thrill of excitement that his words and his touch brought. Maybe I did want him to fight for me. Maybe I did want him to be the one to take, but there was still something inside that wanted to resist.
“Locke, I’m serious,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “You and I can’t just—”
But Locke wasn’t listening. He stepped closer to me, his hand reaching out to cup my chin and tilt my head up to meet his eyes. “You can try to push me away all you want, baby girl,” he said, his breath hot against my cheek. “But we both know you want me just as much as I want you.”
I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, feeling self-conscious in my messy hair and stained clothes. But even as I tried to pull away from him, my body seemed to gravitate toward him, drawn to his heady scent and masculine presence.
Before I could protest, his lips crashed down on mine, his kiss fierce and possessive. And as much as I tried to fight it, I found myself melting into him, my hands tangling in his hair as I kissed him back just as fiercely. My body responded eagerly, my arms wrapping around his neck as I deepened the kiss. It was like a fire had been ignited between us, and I couldn’t resist the heat.
Locke’s hands left my chin, trailing down my body as he pulled me closer, pressing his hard length against me. I moaned into his mouth, my thoughts and inhibitions slipping away as his touch consumed me.
When he finally pulled away, he was breathing heavily, his eyes dark with desire. “I’m not letting you go, Storee,” he said, his voice so low and demanding.
And in that moment, I knew that he was right. I didn’t want him to let me go. I wanted to be his, completely.
But there was still that voice in my head.
Run. Run!
No… let him catch you.
“But, Locke, I can’t just lose myself to you. I can’t give up my strength. I can’t have you watching my every move, protecting me to a point where I can’t breathe. Where I can’t be me. I need you to accept me. Or let me leave.”
His eyes narrowed and I could see the possessive anger flashing in them. “You don’t get it, do you?” he said sharply, his voice cold and hard. “I don’t want anything else, Storee. I just want you. Every single part of you. I always have. Always.”
“And my father? Will he forever haunt us? Forever standing between us?”
He pulled me even closer, his hand cradling the back of my head. “Nothing is standing between us except you and me,” he said, ending my protest with his lips crashing down on mine. “I’m done resisting. And I’m done letting you.”
