Page 70 of Forbidden Access

She tried his phone again, but it remained unanswered. Damian was never far from his phone.

Was he okay? Had something happened?

Thorn increased her pace. When she got to the house, she saw that the lounge windows were closed, and the blinds were drawn, blocking any view inside.

Well, she’d just have to knock on the front door like a normal person.

Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles against the wood, the sound unnaturally loud in the still night air. A long moment passed, and she thought maybe he wasn’t going to answer.

Panic fluttered in her chest as she imagined him lying there, shot through an open window. Maybe someone had gotten to him. Maybe?—

She heard footsteps and let out a shaky breath.

Thank God.

The latch clicked open, and Thorn’s heart jumped into her throat.

Would it be too much to throw her arms around his neck and cover him with kisses?

She forced a smile onto her face, though it felt brittle, like it might shatter at any moment. This was it—the moment of truth.

The door creaked open, and there he was. Tall, rugged, darkly handsome—her breath caught. Damn, he was just as gorgeous as she remembered.

“Hi.” Her voice came out shakier than she intended, her smile strained. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears like a drum. She hadn’t been this nervous since she’d gone undercover in Afghanistan two years ago. Back then, the fear of discovery had made her anxious. Now, it was the fear that he’d tell her it was over, that he had moved on.

She bit her lip, fighting to keep her composure.

“Thorn? What are you doing here?” His voice was flat, devoid of the warmth she’d come to expect from him. It hit her like a punch to the gut.

“I—I came to see you. Can we talk?” She searched his eyes, looking for some sign that he still cared, that he wasn’t as closed off as he appeared.

He hesitated, and for a moment, she thought he might let her in. But then his expression hardened, and he shook his head. “I don’t think there’s anything to talk about.”

“What?” Hearing the words was like a knife twisting in her chest. “I don’t understand. I thought?—”

“Thorn, this isn’t really a good time.” His expression tightened, the tendons in his neck standing out.

“Why not?” She frowned, confused.

What the hell was going on? Had it all been a lie? Before, in Mexico, had it all been a ploy to get her into bed?

No. She couldn’t believe that.

That wasn’t the Damian she knew.

Was it?

He took a deep breath, his shoulders tense. “I’m sorry, it’s over. I can’t be with you anymore.”

She stared at him, stunned, confused, totally horrified. Questions unleashed in her mind with the ferocity of a tornado. Sure, they hadn’t really spoken since the hotel in Miami, and even then it was just as his protection officer, but still… it wasn’t reason to end it. Surely, she deserved more than this?

“Why not?” her voice was a strangled whisper.

“I was feeling trapped. I didn’t realize it until I got home, but now that I’m back…” He shrugged. “I don’t want to be in that relationship anymore.”

Her heart crumpled, blood rushed to her head.

There it was, loud and clear—he was done with her, with all her hot-and-cold bullshit, her mixed emotions, her indecision. She’d made him feel trapped. That stung more than anything.

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