Page 102 of As the World Falls

I can’t move. I could feel my body surrendering to him, and I was helpless to do anything but comply.

Then his lips are on mine. It’s soft and light, unlike anything I’ve felt with him before. I press harder into his lips, searching for what I knew he could give, and I find it when a groan rips from his throat, and his hand drops from my chin and latchesaround my throat, slamming me tightly against the wall as his mouth devours mine, his tongue forcing my mine apart and tasting me.

The doorbell rings, and my eyes snap open, meeting his, which seems to cast over in darkness when the bell rings again. I rip away from him, my dress falling back down my legs as I do.

“I’m sorry. This was…we can’t do this,” I rush out, backing into the hallway.

He bites his bottom lip like he was restraining himself from exploding. “How long will you deny yourself of this thing between us?”

The doorbell rings again, and I become more anxious as I move toward it, my eyes unable to look away from his hurt ones. “I’m sorry,” I tell him again. Then I turn away, leaving him alone as I go to the door where Tobias is being let inside by someone I assume is part of security.

“Jeez, what the hell were you doing? I rang like ten times,” he grumbles.

“It was only three,” I mumble distracted. It felt like I was standing here without my heart because my heart was right where I left James standing by himself.

Tobias raises his eyebrows at me. “What were you doing?” He looks over my shoulder. “Where’s James?”

“How should I know?” I rush out.

He rears his head back slightly. “I was just wondering. Jeez, relax.”

“I’m sorry. Can we go? This place bums me out.”

“Sure,” he says hesitantly.

I looked over my shoulder once more before leaving, sure I heard the sound of weights smacking down on the bar again. Still, I left despite it getting harder and harder to walk away from him each time I did.

Chapter Thirty-Two

James

I was in a mood today. Not only was I stressed out over the idea of Dante, Chuck, and Hodge lurking together in the shadows, but I also had to deal with Cecilia’s close proximity.

It was getting almost painful, being so close to her and not being able to have her the way that I wanted her. I’d never push her into something she didn’t want, but it was the fact that I could see how much she clearly wanted whatever this was between us, and she kept denying herself and me the pleasure of it.

She was scared. I get that, but she has to know I’d let the world fall to ash before I let anything ever hurt her.

The only conclusion I can reach at this point is that she’s worried about what her brother will do or that she doesn’t think I’m worth the trouble. Only one of those is manageable, but the latter…there’s nothing I could do about that.

I arrived home in the afternoon after wrapping some work up in the city so I could stay in Boston for the time being. I wanted to stay as close to home as possible now that more and more boundaries were being crossed between my andCecilia’s lifestyles. I walk into my house and am met with an uncomfortable silence. I saw Tobias’s car in the driveway, so I assumed he had Cecilia back home after their outing, but I didn’t see them anywhere. I head toward my home office but stop when I hear a crunching noise as I pass the kitchen. I move backward, spotting Tobias leaning on the counter, eating a small bag of chips.

He smiles wide at me as he spots me. “Honey, you’re home.”

I slowly walk into the kitchen. “Hadn’t you just eaten with your sister?”

“Yeah, but I had the munchies and was bored, so…”

“Bored? Where is Cecilia?”

“She’s on the back patio with Lance.”

I can physically feel the veins pop on my forehead. “Lance, as in there’s another man in my house, and he’s outside with Cecilia?”

Tobias nods. “He wouldn’t leave me alone about where Cecilia was. The guy was really fucking annoying, so we sort of fibbed and told him that she was staying here while I painted her apartment. He wanted to come check on her, though, anyway.”

“So, you just let him?” I snap.

He sets the chips down and stands up straighter. “Look, I made a judgment call. It would have looked suspicious if I hadn’t let him see her. He’s her best friend. If I told him no, he would have come snooping around.”

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