Page 46 of Unleashed

With one last lingering kiss on my forehead, he pushed off the wall and swam toward the stairs. I watched him, heat stirring in my belly, already imagining what the rest of the night had in store.

CHAPTER 10

"Get the fuck out of here. I can’t believe what I’m hearing," Erika's voice cut through the air, sharp and accusing.

I leaned back against the kitchen counter, my phone tucked between my ear and shoulder. I’d only been back from Montauk for a few hours, and despite the serenity I’d found there, guilt gnawed at me now. My time with Slade had been intoxicating—his smile, his touch—but I wasn’t anywhere near where he was emotionally.

"I’m sorry I didn’t call you," I muttered, knowing it wasn’t enough.

"Sorry?" Erika scoffed, her words dripping with frustration. "I thought some bear ate you or a psycho dragged you into the woods. You had me freaked out! You never go hiking and not check in at least once. Did Abbott fuck your brains out, or did you just stop caring?"

Her words stung, but I knew she was right. Erika had every reason to be mad—I always called for safety check-ins, but this time I had been too swept up in the moment, too captivated by Slade, to even think about it.

"He did fuck my brains out, actually. More than once," I confessed, unable to resist the smirk tugging at my lips.

There was a pause before Erika let out a low whistle. Her voice softened, curiosity replacing the edge. "How did this happen? And don’t leave out the juicy parts."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I’m not telling you about the sex."

"You already did. Now I want the fine details."

I sighed, leaning my head back against the cabinet, letting the warmth of the memory wash over me. "He showed up at Bear Mountain on the first day of my hike. Waiting for me, like he knew I needed company. One thing led to another…"

I hesitated before telling her about the dream—the one where Slade was the star, and how that dream had blurred into reality. Erika, as usual, was rapt with attention.

"So, your dream became reality. That’s gotta mean something. You must really want him if it happened that fast."

I let the silence linger before admitting the truth. "There’s a problem. He’s in love with me. Has been for years, apparently. But he didn’t actually say it… just, you know, it’s there."

Erika groaned, loud enough for me to imagine her rolling her eyes. "What’s the problem? Doesn’t sound like one to me."

"I don’t feel the same way," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended.

"Oh, come-fucking-on!" she exploded. "Christ, Kincaid, this is the Roberts thing all over again."

"It is not," I protested, but Erika was already on a roll.

"Ken Roberts would’ve walked through a fire, doused in gasoline, stark naked, to be with you. God forbid you fall for a rich, handsome guy." Her sarcasm was palpable.

"Ken wasn’t for me. He wanted too much," I snapped, suddenly defensive.

"He wanted you. That’s not too much. Do you know he came to me every single time you two had an argument?"

"Why didn’t you say anything?" I shot back.

"Because I told him you were crazy," Erika replied with a snort. "You are crazy. And now here you are, same pattern. You have a guy who would probably die for you, and you’re acting like it’s a curse. What is your problem with letting a guy take care of you?"

"You know why." My voice dropped. "I want to do things for myself."

"And you do," Erika fired back. "But that doesn’t mean you can’t let someone else help you, too."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "You’re one to talk. When are you going to settle down?"

"Don’t turn this shit around on me," she shot back, her tone as relentless as ever. "We’re talking about you."

She was like a dog with a bone when she sank her teeth into a problem. I knew I wasn’t getting out of this.

"My parents are part of the package," I said finally, my voice quieter. "I can’t just forget about them."

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