Page 118 of Remy

He finds my necklace, lifting the delicate chain, dragging the threaded ring to sit atop the outside of my coat.

“Never take this off,” he murmurs—at least I think that’s what he says.

I’m too far gone, my sanity having fled the building. My self-preservation, poof—gone.

“Tell me you understand.”

“I do,” I lie, my voice smoky. Rasped.

His touch continues to linger.

It’s ridiculous to want more. To fight hard not to lower my gaze to his mouth. It’s the adrenaline. The tumultuous waves of shock.

“Never, Ollie.”

“I promise I won’t.” My tongue swipes out to quickly lick my dried lips. “I don’t want to be in this situation again.”

He stiffens, and I struggle to understand what I said to flip his energy. But that’s exactly what I’ve done.

“Good.” He guides his hand to his side and steps back. “From now on you stay in your car while me and my men are here, okay?”

“But what about?—”

“You know we’re here. You know what we’re doing. That’s where this agreement of ours ends. So go home. Sleep. If you’re worried about the skills of my cleaning crew, come back once we’re gone. But otherwise, move on with your life. What’s done is done.”

I glance aimlessly over his shoulder as I struggle with whiplash. “How long until I hear from you again?”

“I don’t know. But the timeline will be shortened if you go searching for trouble.”

“I didn’t go searching.”

“Then I guess trouble just seems to find you, doesn’t it, Pyro?”

I wince. I may not be able to hate him, yet somehow I find it incredibly easy to loathe him calling me that. “Only since you entered my life.”

“Since you followed your father using a tracker app.”

I grimace.

I don’t need another reminder of that night. Or my father. Or Remy’s heated hands.

“Are you still holding up okay?” He shoves his fists back into his pockets. “Do you need me to take you home?”

My heart squeezes. My nonexistent love life is to blame.

If only I’d dated a little more his attention wouldn’t feel addictive. I’d have a better threshold for his concern. A stronger understanding of what this is.

“I...” I sigh, feeling so incredibly lost. “I can drive myself.”

And that’s what I do.

I don’t say goodbye. Don’t linger in this cloud of insanity. I turn tail and escape the building, hoping I never come face-to-face with him again... and lying to myself at the same time.

22

REMY

She turns and walks away, my gaze eating her up until she disappears around the van.

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