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“She doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

“She doesn’t want one.”

“We went on a date. She owes me a kiss.” Elliot looks at me as if I’m his prey.

Heath steps in front of me, blocking his view. “She owes you nothing, asshole.”

Elliot tries to hit Heath, but he easily dodges him and lands three more hits on him with a precision and strength that can break bones. When he stands straight, he isn’t even breathing hard.

With a groan, Elliot backs away from him in pain. He has a bleeding nose and split lip.

“Fuck it. It was a stupid bet.” With that, he’s out of sight while I’m standing there thinking about his words.

Heath faces me and his sharp eyes lock on me before moving down my body, looking for an injury. Taking long steps, he reaches me. “Are you okay?”

I’m so stunned I can hardly speak a word.

His eyes narrow as he searches my eyes. Taking my hand, he says, “Rose, you need to tell me. Are you fucking okay? Did he do something?”

I shudder. “No…he…didn’t do anything,” I finally answer.

His thumb rubs circles over my wrist, exactly where my pulse is strumming at a rapid speed.

“Good,” he whispers.

“Why did you do that?” A gush of cold wind sweeps past us. I withdraw my hand from his and wrap the thin shawl around my shoulders.

Heath stares at me but doesn’t answer. He has this hard, cold look on his face that reflects how angry he is.

“Why are you even here?” I ask.

He frowns hard. “Because he doesn’t deserve you.”

“And you do?”

For a long moment, he just stares at me and then shakes his head. “No, I don’t.”

I step back from shock or hurt—I don’t know exactly.

“So, I don’t deserve anyone,” I murmur, feeling awful.

Stepping forward, he places his index finger under my chin and tips back my face. “I don’t deserve you, but I’m too selfishand obsessed with you to not become the person that you deserve.”

Oh my God.

Heath Travon wants me.

My breath hitches.

I don’t know what to do next.

Should I inhale or exhale?

He gets closer, and just like that he manages to suck all the air around us.

I’ve never felt like this with anyone. There has always been something about him. That first meeting changed everything.He’schanged everything.

I trust him. The thought scares me, but my heart says it’s okay for me to take the leap if it’shimI’m falling into.

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