Page 47 of Fight

“You’re safe here,” I said, reiterating the promise I’d made before.

She nodded, looking off in the distance. “Yeah. It’s not that… It’s just so quiet. Takes getting used to. Not that I plan to get used to it,” she hastily added.

I didn’t like how emphatic she was on that last point, but I overlooked it and instead pushed the plate away and watched P.

She shifted, almost nervous, which was so unlike her. “So… You work nights?” she eventually asked.

“For the moment,” I said, remembering a time when I hadn’t.

My voice must have come out more gruffly than I intended because P blanched. My first instinct was to try to soothe her, but I suppressed it. I needed to be in control with her, couldn’t give in to the dangerous desire that told me to save her, soothe her, fuck her.

Dangerous ground, I tried to remind myself. Not that my body was paying attention. I’d convinced myself there was nothing to that kiss, that it was meaningless, and had even thought I believed it. Now, though, there was no way to pretend otherwise. Sitting across from her, I wanted nothing more than to fuck her right here.

Her breath hitched, and her eyes darkened. I couldn’t decide if she was aware of the signals she was sending, but I didn’t miss them.

P wanted me, maybe as much as I wanted her.

I dropped my hands from the table and put them on my thighs, not trusting myself not to reach out for her, give in to the unspoken but undeniable attraction between us.

Because I couldn’t.

I had pressing issues to attend to, didn’t even know if I would live for another day. It was the absolute worst time to divide my attention and be focused on anything other than paying off Markov.

All that I said was true, but I knew that alone didn’t keep me in my seat.

No, looking at P was the thing that kept me in my seat.

She returned my desire. I could see that clearly. But barely two days ago, she’d been facing certain death and now had to deal with that, with what had happened before, what could possibly happen now.

I wouldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability.

When I stood, she frowned but then quickly covered, making her face impassive. Or as impassive as she could. I held her gaze for a moment and then said, “We need to talk about what happens now.”

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