Page 34 of Flames of Desire

I smiled, my heart swelling with warmth. "I'm glad I could be there, Alex. It was important for you to reconnect with your family."

He bent down, his lips just inches from mine. Finally, his lips brushed against mine in a tender kiss. But before the kiss could deepen, a voice rang out.

“You mother fucker!”

Alex barely had time to straighten before a fist connected with his jaw, the force of the punch sending him staggering back. Pain exploded in his mouth, the metallic taste of blood flooding his senses.

"Colton, stop!" I shouted, rushing to Alex's side as he clutched his bleeding lip, his eyes wide with shock.

Standing a few feet away, Colton's angry eyes glared at Alex. "Stay away from my sister," he spat, his voice low and menacing.

"Colton, what the hell?" I demanded, my heart pounding in my chest. "You can't just—"

"This guy?" Colton interrupted, pointing at Alex. "This is who you choose to be with?”

“You have no right to tell me who I can and can’t be with, Colton. This isn’t my bookstore,” I said with a scowl, and his eyes darkened.

“You act like you’re new in this town. Do you not know his reputation, Lily?”

I glanced at Alex, who was still reeling from the punch, and then back at Colton. “I know who he is,” I said firmly. “Need I fucking remind you that he’s your fucking best friend, Colton.”

Colton’s gaze flickered between Alex and me, and I mustered up the courage. “And he’s my boyfriend.”

Chapter eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - ETERNAL FLAMES

Iwiped the blood from my lip, the sting of the punch still fresh. Colton's glare bored into me, and Lily stood between us, her eyes blazing with anger.

“Boyfriend?” he said in disbelief. “Are you out of your goddamn mind Lily?”

“No Colton. But I can swear you must be out of yours. What the hell is wrong with you?" Lily demanded, her voice shaking with fury.

Colton's eyes blazed with anger. "I can't just sit back and watch you make a mistake, Lily. This guy—" he gestured to me, who was still clutching my bleeding lip— "isn't good for you. He's nothing but trouble."

"You're not my father, Colton," Lily shot back, her frustration mounting. "You don't get to decide who I date."

"I care about you, Lily," he argued, his voice rising. "I'm trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" she demanded. "From being happy? Because that's what Alex makes me."

"You think I’m just going to stand by and let him mess with you?" Colton shot back, his eyes flicking to me with disdain. "Lily, you have no idea what he's capable of."

"You're wrong," Lily retorted, stepping closer to her brother. "I know exactly who he is. And I know he loves me."

Colton scoffed, crossing his arms. "You’re blinded, Lily. This guy's reputation—"

"Enough," I interjected, my voice firm. "Colton, I understand your anger. But you need to know something."

He looked at me, skepticism written all over his face. "What could you possibly say that would change my mind?"

I took a deep breath, remembering the moment that had changed everything for me. “Do you remember when I called you a couple of days ago? You were worried that I had done something to Lily.”

Colton frowned, the memory clearly surfacing. "Yeah, I remember. So what?"

"I had once promised you that I would never do anything to hurt Lily. But seeing her at her bookstore, it was then I realized something," I continued, my voice steady. "Lily isn’t just any girl. She's different. And in trying to help her, I fell in love with her."

Colton's expression faltered, his anger wavering. "Fell in love with her?"

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