Page 283 of By His Rule

I pause, the weight of his words pressing down on my shoulders.

He steps up behind me. The warmth of his body burns down my back and his breath rushes over the exposed skin of my neck.

My body sags in relief. The need to lean back into his is almost all-consuming.

But just before I do, I remember where I am and keep walking forward, my eyes widening when I take in the car sitting in our driveway.

“You brought a Mercedes here?”

I look back just in time to see him shrug.

“I just rented a car.”

“Well, I hope you took out the extra coverage, because if you stay here much longer, I can guarantee that you won’t be taking it back with four wheels attached.”

“I guess that all depends on how long I’m welcome for.”

“You don’t want to stay here,” I say dejectedly as he pulls the passenger door open for me.

“Says who?” he asks, lowering down and getting into my space. “I certainly don’t want to be in Chicago without you.”

My breath catches. The honesty shining in his eyes makes mine burn with emotion.

“Get in, Lorelei, and then tell me where to drive so we can talk.”

My legs follow orders and a heartbeat later, my ass hits the soft leather seat and he closes the door on me.

I sit there in a daze as he joins me and then backs out of the space.

I keep my eyes on my lap. I know exactly what we’re driving through; I spent the best part of my childhood trying to survive here. The thought of Kian seeing it too makes shame bubble up inside me.

I don’t want to be the girl from the trailer park in the deadbeat town everyone’s forgotten. Not when he’s the high-flying CFO of Callahan Enterprises.

We don’t fit, and I fear we never will.

“You’re going to need to tell me where to go,” Kian says lightly as he pulls to a stop at the exit to the trailer park. “Left or right?”

“Uh…left.”

He takes the turn and we fall back into silence.

The only time I speak is to give him directions. But he’s not quiet because he doesn’t have anything to say—I can practically hear all the thoughts whizzing around his head. But for as much as I want to hear them, I know they’re going to floor me.

I’m not ready, but I no longer think I have a choice.

I ran when it got too hard, and he chased me.

If I ever needed proof that he meant everything he said to me Friday night, then I guess it’s currently staring me right in the face. Or at least, sitting beside me.

“Pull up over there,” I say, pointing to the farthest corner of the parking lot I directed him to.

He brings the car to a stop and kills the engine.

“So—”

“We’re not there yet,” I say, pushing the door open and jumping out.

Without waiting for him, I walk around the front of the car and then take the well-trodden track that leads to the beach.

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