Page 71 of Chemistry: The Chemist

“Chem–”

“I know what that feels like, Eden. That jealousy. That anger. It’ll swallow you if you let it. If I refuse to let there be a nigga on this earth who can make me feel that way about you, then I’m not the exception and no one is exempt.”

She gasped, mouth slacked and eyes wide with shock.

“They won’t ever know you were here.”

“Are you telling me to k–”

“I’m telling you to do whatever it is your heart is telling you to do. I’ll clean the mess if it comes to it.”

“I am not that person. I–I am not that woman,” she claimed, taken aback by my admission.

“Then, so be it.” I shrugged, adjusting my Glock on my waist.

I felt the need to ease her heartache. It was possible she wouldn’t admit it, but I knew the places her mind had traveled seeing and hearing Taylor. It made me want to stuff her big ass mouth with something that would shut her up for good.

I cradled her face between my palms and inhaled deeply. I exhaled shortly after. I employed her, wanting her to follow the same steps Rather had forced me to time and time again. When she began inhaling and exhaling, I could see the weights being lifted from her shoulders.

“She couldn’t handle me, Eden. Not even if I gave her an instruction manual and read that motherfucker to her like a bedtime story. It’s only you. It’ll only ever be you.”

My words composed her. With a nod, she put my worries to rest.

They could never be you.

Her silence was disheartening. I needed to hear her to know all was well. The look on her face made it hard to believe.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

“I don’t want to be here.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

It felt as though those words ran so much deeper than the surface. Instead of responding, I took her by the hand and led her out of the door in which we’d come. The valet was close, but my car was closer and I was certain the key was inside. It was one of the reasons I loved Charred.

Their clientele wasn’t the average Joe. At any second, hell could break loose, and waiting for the valet to hand you keys and pull your car around shaved off precious seconds that could mean life or death.

Within seconds of stepping out into the brisk air, Eden was in the passenger seat and I was whipping off the parking lot, burning rubber to put distance between us. My appetite had intensified, but it wasn’t for food. It was Eden I craved, mentally, physically, and surprisingly, emotionally.

I wouldn’t stop digging into her until tears streamed down her face and she felt me deep, deep in that soul of hers I wanted for myself. Selfish, I was, but only when it came to her. She’d become the prize I didn’t think I needed in my possession. But, now that she was here, I’d do anything and everything to keep her.

My phone vibrated. I hesitated to answer the call, but it was rather hard ignoring the baby boy. He was persistent. He’d only retry until he got an answer.

“Yes,” I greeted him.

“Yes?”

Because I refused to feed into his apparent ignorance, I remained silent.

“What’s up? What are you doing?” Milo asked, making small talk. It led me to believe the call was pointless, but I couldn’t end it. It wasn’t often he or the others wanted anything much, but their calls let me know my presence was missed. If nothing else in life felt good, that did.

“I’ll be there soon,” I informed him.

It was news to me, too, but when their hearts grew heavy with my absence, it was my duty to lighten their load.

“Say no more. One love.”

He ended the call without a response.

Spoiled fuckers.

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