Page 86 of The Pact

“Well, princess, this is a sight I can get used to,” he chuckles as he says it, coming to stand next to me. I’m sure he’s expecting a barbed response. However, I’m too consumed with willing composure. “Hey…” Damian’s finger skates down my arm. When I don’t respond, he grabs it and turns me to face him.

I can’t help but look away. I don’t want him to see me like this, especially since I’m crying because of them. And I really don’t want Wesley to be blamed for all of this. It’s not his fault.

“What the fuck? What happened?” I can see his mind racing, thinking of all the possibilities. His blue eyes flash dangerously. “Fucking liar,” he growls, turning to head back inside.

He’s nearly at the front door before I can call out. “Damian! Stop!” He doesn’t listen. I run after him, racing through the dining room. He’s already downstairs. I hear wood cracking as I follow behind him. Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Damian,” I yell out again. He’s already in Wesley’s room by the time I get to the lower level. I can hear his harsh voice, although I don’t know what he’s saying. He sounds pissed. “Damian,” I shout as I push open Wesley’s door.

He has Wesley up against the wall, his shirt fisted in his hand, and despite the difference in height, Damian is terrifying. Wesley has his hands up and confusion pulls his brows upwards. He looks at me over Damian’s shoulder and his face shifts to something akin to anger.

“What did you do?” He pulls Wesley’s shirt forward before slamming him back against the wall. “Why is she crying?”

Wesley shakes his head. “What? I don’t know, but you need to get your hands off of me, now!” Hostility laces his voice. I need to step in, despite being wholly terrified of Damian’s wrath. The image of him splattered with Gavin’s blood flashes through my mind.

I take small steps, approaching them cautiously until I can reach out to touch Damian on the shoulder. “Wesley didn’t do anything to me. I promise.” Damian glances back at me, his face resembling a wild animal’s, sneering and uncontrolled. I have to come clean. I have to tell him I overheard their conversation.

“Gavin? Tell me it wasn’t him, I swear, princess… the things I’ll do to hi—”

“No, not Gavin,” I interrupt. Damian lets his brother go and apologizes. Wesley eyes him with fury. “I-I… I overheard you talking this morning, telling Wesley to take me on the hike. And…” Confessing this is so damn embarrassing. “I heard you tell him if he didn’t think that he could make it work, if he couldn’t bond with me, that you’d break things off.”

Looking at Wesley, I apologize. “I’m sorry. I never meant for you to see me like this. I even left so that I could get all of this stupid shit out. I wanted to cook you guys a nice dinner. A farewell dinner, one last good memory before you broke it off with me.” My cheeks are burning and tears stream freely down them.

When I stop talking, I can see that both of them are shell shocked, jaws slack as they stare at each other.

My fingers forcefully push the tears aside. I wipe my wet hands on my pants. I need to go.

“I-uh. I’m going to get my stuff and leave.” Turning, I walk to the guest room, thinking about all the things I have to grab. “Oh, and there’s a pie on the counter. It needs to thaw for an hour or two. It’s gluten-free, so I don’t know how good it’ll taste.” I add, giving a half hearted glance over my shoulder. “Thank you for everything. You don’t know how much these weeks have meant to me. Please tell Sutton and Cole goodbye for me.”

I only make it halfway to the room. “So that’s it? You’re done? You’re going to leave us?” Damian grates out.

Turning, I see them both in the doorway. “What? I thought… you said if Wesley doesn’t want this, then you’d end it. So yes, I don’t want to be an imposition. I’m going to leave.”

Wesley pushes past Damian. “Blue eyes…” God, my heart is breaking at those two words. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“Wesley, you don’t have to say that. I don’t want you to see me like this and put yourself in a bad position. I’ll be alright.” I smile weakly, unable to meet his gaze. “I promise. I’m just a crybaby. I’ll be fine,” I assure him.

He closes the distance between us. “I won’t say it again. I don’t want you to leave.” He grips my chin, forcing me to look at him. My breath catches when I see his dark eyes watering. Suddenly, Wesley crashes his mouth against mine.

His lips move with a ferocity and need like I’ve never felt before. The shock of it makes my body stiffen, but that quickly gives way and my hands slide up his chest before snaking around his neck.

The smell of pine and leather comes back to me, full force now. I sink into him. Wesley lifts me up and my legs wrap around him instinctively. My fingers slide through his messy brown hair as his arms encircle my waist.

Everything about this feels good. The way he holds me makes me feel entirely protected. And there’s something else, a sort of rawness between us, like both of our hearts have been cracked wide open. It’s painful and real and breathtaking. I want to cry and laugh all at once.

Then his lips are moving over my jaw and down my throat. My eyes open, barely. I see Damian leaning against the door frame with a satisfied grin and darkened gaze watching us. It’s enough to bring me back to reality. Wesley must sense what I’m feeling because he pulls away.

The wild look in his eyes makes my heart pound, a rush of fear and arousal at his primal reaction goes straight to my core.

I bite my lip, hoping the pain will dampen the need building in me.

Brushing my thumb over his smooth jaw, I stare deeply into his eyes. “I won’t leave, I promise.” Wesley bends to press his forehead against mine, a silent acknowledgement that he believes me.

“Good. This is where you belong.”

“Oh fuck.” I push against him so that he drops me. “The food!”

WESLEY

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