SILAS
I didn’t give him a word.
Silence was the only thing keeping me from dropping her and breaking his jaw.
I reached my door, kicked it open, and stepped inside.
I slammed it shut, the heavy thud cutting off Julian’s laughter mid-note.
Finally, silence.
I laid her gently in the center of my bed.
I stood over her for a moment, just looking at her, before reaching down to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face.
My gaze lingered on her lips, those small, defiant lips that had been throwing insults at one of the most dangerous men in the city only minutes ago.
“You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut,” I muttered.
I rubbed my face and sighed, feeling every hour of this long night finally catching up to me.
I moved to the end of the bed and carefully pulled off her sneakers.
When I peeled her socks away, I stopped.
Her heels were a mess.
Raw, red blisters and deep bruises.
She’d been walking on these all day and hadn’t said a word.
She’d just used that sharp tongue of hers to hide the pain.
I stepped over, grabbed a tin of healing balm from my dresser and sat on the edge of the mattress.
I started rubbing the ointment onto her heels.
My hands were rough and felt clumsy against her soft skin, but I tried to be careful.
I didn’t know why I was doing this.
I shouldn’t have cared if her feet hurt or where she slept.
I let out a low groan.
I was already breaking my own rules, and the sun wasn’t even up yet.
Finally, I moved back to her side.
I reached for the buttons of her blazer, peeling the heavy fabric away so she could breathe easier, making her comfortable.
Beneath it, her white shirt was wrinkled and thin.
As I set the blazer aside, my eyes caught the curve of her chest.
So, she’s really been doing a good job of covering those, I thought.
My pulse quickened.
They didn’t look nearly as small now that I was this close.
I looked away, cursing under my breath at my own lack of control.
This wasn’t the time or the place, and she definitely wasn’t the woman for this.
I quickly grabbed the heavy duvet and pulled it up to her chin, tucking her in until she was completely buried.
She was safe.
For now.
And more importantly, she was out of my sight.
I stripped out of my clothes and stepped into the shower, turning the handle until the water was ice cold.
After seeing Maya’s curves on my bed, my head was a mess.
The thought of going to Isabella crossed my mind, but I dismissed it instantly.
I was too exhausted for her drama, and I knew she was a walking time bomb.
She’d throw a tantrum that would wake the whole mansion if she found out another woman was sleeping under my duvet.
I walked back into the bedroom, the air feeling warmer than before.
I didn’t look at her; I couldn’t.
I climbed into the bed, keeping as much distance between us as the mattress allowed.
I turned my back to her as I slid under the duvet.
My mind tried to race, calculating the fallout of the night.
It was expected, I suppose.
Things always went to hell when Maya couldn’t shut her mouth.
But my body finally gave up.
I didn’t want to think anymore.
Within minutes, the steady sound of her breathing was the only thing I could hear before I finally let myself sleep.
I managed to get a few hours of sleep, but I was wide awake by 5:00 AM.
I spent the early morning handling business on my phone while the house was still quiet.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Maya toss and turn until she finally drifted toward me.
Without waking, she threw an arm over my bare chest.
Her skin was warm against mine, and the weight of her arm felt strangely right.
I let out a slow sigh and dropped my phone.
It was 7:00 AM now.
I stayed perfectly still, not wanting to wake her.
A few minutes later, she shifted again, turning her back to me.
In her sleep, she seemed to be searching for something. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Her hand reached back until she found my arm, and she dragged it over her.
She pulled my hand to her chest and scooted back until she was pressed firmly against me.
I knew I should get up.
But my hands were now resting on the curves I had tried so hard to ignore last night.
I could feel the thin, wrinkled cotton of her shirt beneath my palms.
I felt my resolve slipping to the warmth of her body.
This wasn’t just an accident anymore; by staying here, I was making a choice.
I gave in.
I laid down properly, pulling her closer and holding her from behind exactly the way she seemed to want.
But then, she started to move.
She pressed her butt against me, slowly grinding on my dick, and a quiet groan escaped my throat.
If she didn’t stop, she was going to wake up a part of me I was trying to keep under control.
Someone was clearly horny, I thought.
She didn’t stop.
Her hand slid down, searching, until her palm rested right over my briefs.
She began to move her hand in a slow, steady stroke.
I groaned again, letting out a shaky breath.
I was a second away from catching her wrist and stopping her, until she whispered a name.
“Liam….” she moaned.
I froze.
Every muscle in my body stiffened.
The heat that had been rushing through me just seconds ago vanished.
Reality crashed into me.
I’d almost forgotten who I was to her.
There was no way she’d touch me like this if she were awake.
She hated my guts.
She wasn’t searching for me.
She was reaching for someone else.