Page 29 of Manacled Hearts

Turning the light off, I take a deep breath in the comfort of the darkness and walk out onto the short corridor that leads back into the living room. Only, without light, I smash straight into a hard chest, failing to see that I’m not alone.

“I’m so sorry.” I pull away, but someone grips my shoulders, holding me in place.

“It’s my fault.”

Finnigan.

I can’t help the gasp, drawing in the scent of sea salt and something… sweet and rich, like dark chocolate. Sweet Mary Mother of God. It’s intoxicating. I can almost taste him.

“I want to apologize.” His words startle me.

“For?”

“I was rude… out there,” he answers.

I stay silent because I have nothing to add. He was, indeed, rude.

“You’re not saying anything?”

“No. You said you want to apologize. I didn’t want to interrupt you.” I shrug in his grip.

“I just did.” His scowl taints even his tone.

“You didn’t. You said you want to apologize. You didn’t actually do it.”

The harsh exhale brushes against my forehead and the hands that still hold me tighten against my shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

“What do you have against me?” the question drops from my mouth before I have a chance to stop it.

“I don’t have anything against you.”

“Don’t lie. You’ll have something else to apologize for again.”

Maybe my eyes haven’t adjusted fully to the low light, and I imagined the corner of his lips quirking.

“I think you should go back to the patio, Evelyn.” God… the way he says my name. He adds an old world twang to it, like a strange caress.

I don’t move. I can’t.

“You’re the one holding me here,” I say.

He doesn’t let go.

Silence falls. More dark chocolate whirls around me. A peculiar electric quiver brushes over my spine, wrapping around my neck and my belly simultaneously, and I think I moved closer to him. Or did I lean in? I don’t know, but my front turns warmer. My mouth drier. The air weighs heavy between us. Even if the hairs on my arms stand up.

“Finnigan…” I whisper.

His hands fall like his name on my lips burned him, and he steps around me, stopping shoulder to shoulder, albeit his is quite a bit higher.

“Go, Evelyn.”

I sigh, disappointed, but with what… I’m not sure.

FINNIGAN

I truly am an idiot.

Why did I follow her here?

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