Page 86 of Brutal Prince

I felt his lips press against my cheek, but I couldn’t react to his touch. I was stuck in time. The clock stopped ticking and I lost my breath.

“It was the act of him going to my father that ruined everything for me, Cattus,” he said, taking my hand and kissing the palm. “I couldn’t lose you.”

More tears flowed and I released his hand to wipe them away. I needed some space to breathe and think and calm the fuck down. My heart was thudding overtime against my ribs. “Um, can I use your bathroom?”

“Sure, it’s on the left down the hall. Are you okay?” he asked as I walked away from him. My feet wanted to run, but not in the direction of the bathroom.

Splashing cold on my face, I had to compose myself. I still had work to do. I still had another confession to get out of him. I tried not to take too long and walked back out to find him still at the dining table with his head down.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking up.

“It’s just hard to accept.”

“I know.” He got up from the table and wrapped his arms around me. I was so confused. His warm embrace felt so right, yet the he felt so wrong. I was constantly fighting against the feelings I had for him. None of it made any sense.

“I should go,” I said into his shirt.

“Please stay.”

I shook my head. “I need…” my chest heaving from a mix of panic and desire. “I can’t breathe.”

He released me from the firm grip and I grabbed my bag and ran for the door as tears streamed down my face, blurring my eyesight.

Once inside the elevator, I composed myself and checked my messages.

Ollie: When can I see you again?

Cousin Jo(codename for Delaney): Are you ok? Leave if you need to.

I was about to answer her, when a text came through from Dom: Please forgive me. I can’t go on without your forgiveness.

Me: I need to know more. But not now.

Dom: Tomorrow night then?

Me: Don’t you have a GF to look after?

Dom: Will u come back tomorrow night?

Me: Yes

Of course I answered ‘yes’. I still haven’t completed my objective and I liked being with him. I liked how he looked, how he smelt, his smile, they way he touched me. And yet I also hated him with vengeance.

He was the boy who ruined our lives and received no punishment for his crime.

He was also the man who admitted that he shot my father because he was forbidding him from seeing me. There was something tragically romantic in that scenario, but I can’t lose my head over it.

THIRTY EIGHT

Gretta

I stepped out into the darkening day, knowing that my girls were just down the road and Delaney was in her van listening to my conversation with Dom. I couldn’t see the van from where I stood, but I knew she wouldn’t be too far away.

“Hey,” I heard a deep voice behind me and turned to see a large frame leaning against the wall, steeped in shadow.

“Hi,” I replied. “Did you follow me here?”

“You keep lying to me,” the tone of his voice prickled the back of my neck.

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