Page 5 of Into the Fire

“You had no right to come in there like that,” she snapped back, stepping into my space, all flashing teeth and pretty eyes. Her red waves spilled around her like a raging fire. Her bottom lip trembled.

Fuck what I wouldn’t give to kiss her again. I’d been replaying it in my mind on repeat since that night. How soft and tentative she was. When she parted her lips and allowed my tongue to dance against hers, the sweetness of it all. I’d fucking wreck her world if she were mine. In a good way. In a way where she’d need me to carry her everywhere once I was finished with her because she’d remember who the fuck had been between her legs, loving her the way she deserved.

But right now, she was staring at me like she was going to remove my cock and shove it sideways up my ass.

“I have every fucking right, LeeLee. We’re—”We were what?In a fucking situation that had no real answer to it other than limbo? I swallowed and stared at her.

“That night was a mistake,” she whispered.

Her words gutted me.

“You said you didn’t regret it,” I murmured, closing the distance between us, my heart in my throat. I crinkled my brows as I stared into her eyes, praying I’d heard her wrong.

“Ani.” Her voice was small. “I-we can’t. I’m with the guys. I’m marrying Enzo—”

“Don’t marry him,” I answered back softly. “You could just as easily marry me.”

She blinked at me. “Don’t say things like that to me. Please. It—”

“It what, Rosalie? Makes you stop and question what you’re doing? What you’re feeling? I won’t stop. I’ve never not followed through on something in my life. I won’t start with you. You can take that however you want to take it. I get it. Believe me, I do. You’re in a shitty position, but I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere. I fucking want you in whatever way I can have you, or have my actions not screamed it loudly enough for you?”

She trembled and squeezed her eyelids closed as I reached out and cradled her cheek.

“I won’t push you to be with me. I understand you love the guys, and the last thing I want to do is add more pain to your heart. I’ll back off. I’ll be your friend if that’s what you want. When you’re ready to come to me, you will, and I will wait for that day.” I breathed out and thumbed away the tear that trailed down her porcelain cheek. “I will, however, push you in other ways. Open your eyes and look at me.”

She peered at me with glassy green eyes, tears clinging to her long, dark lashes.

“You’re going to walk into that office and change your classes. You’re not a fucking teaching major, LeeLee. You’re not. I won’t allow it.”

“You can’t tell me what to do—”

I leaned in abruptly, making her tense. Gently, I ran my lips along her jaw, causing a tiny gasp to leave her as I neared her ear.

“I just did. Now do what you’re told,” I whispered, my hand moving to her tiny waist to hold her. “Don’t make me tell you a second time. I know your heart, LeeLee. I know you love music. I won’t let you throw it away.”

I pulled away from her to see what her reaction would be.

With parted lips, she nodded at me. “OK.”

“Good girl. Now go, and don’t ever think you can run away like that again. Got it?”

She nodded wordlessly.

I backed fully away from her and nodded for her to follow. She fell in step with me without protest and let me lead her to the office where she promptly changed her entire schedule to my choosing before following me out.

“I have to show this to Enzo,” she murmured. “And the guys. They have my other schedule and will want this new one.”

I nodded without a word.

“Can you take me home? I-I—”

“You don’t need to explain it to me. Come on.” I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her down the hall.

We didn’t speak until we were in my car and on the road.

“Where have you been, Ani?” she finally asked. “I haven’t heard from you since. . .”

“I was doing something for my family.”

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