Page 117 of Forsaken Oath

My brows furrow, the back of my neck hot. “Well, not when you put it like that.”

“Hell yeah, I am. And I want to keep trippin’ on this perfect cunt of yours,” he says, ghosting his palm over my pussy.

God, how can I want him again? It’s strange to be so hungry for this man. So goddamn thirsty.

He leans over, dragging his lips down my shoulder. “Think about it, Peach. You wouldn’t have to deal with Seven Pines or Darla or anything you didn’t want to.”

My blood turns to ice at the mention of my mother. I was wondering how long it was going to take before he brought it up. And to be honest, I’m surprised it took him this long.

“So that’s what that was about? You feel, what, sorry for me or something?” The words come out quiet but short and quick.

Beau’s eyes widen, his grip on my hip tightening. “What? No, Peach, that’s not it at all.”

I sit up, clutching the sheet to my chest as a sudden chill sweeps over my skin. “Then what is it? Because from where I’m sitting, it sounds an awful lot like pity.”

His brows draw together, a flicker of hurt passing through his eyes. “You think I’d ask you to move in with me out of pity?” He shakes his head, jaw clenched. “I’m asking because I care about you. I want to help you. And your situation with Darla looked . . . intense.”

“I never asked you for that,” I mutter, scooting to the end of the bed.

“Hey, don’t do that,” he murmurs, his hand snagging mine. I glance over my shoulder, catching something soft in his eyes—concern mixed with a kind of quiet determination. “Don’t shut me out, yeah?”

“I’m not,” I whisper. The words taste like ash on my tongue. I squeeze his hand and let go, sliding off the bed and looking for my clothes. “I have everything with Darla handled.”

“Alright.” He scoots to the end of the bed, pushing to his feet. He reaches for me, his powerful hands gently grasping my shoulders and turning me to face him. I keep my gaze fixed on his chest, not quite able to meet his eyes as a tangle of emotions wars within me.

“Eloise.” His voice is soft but firm, a quiet command that I can’t ignore. Slowly, reluctantly, I drag my gaze up to meet his.

His blue eyes are filled with a tender concern that makes my heart ache. There’s no pity there, no judgment. Just a steady, unwavering care that seems to wrap around me. “Alright, okay? It’s an open offer. So humor me and say you’ll think about it.”

I exhale slowly, some of the tension draining from my body under the warmth of his gaze. Beau’s thumbs rub soothing circles on my shoulders, the touch grounding me even as my mind spins.

“Okay,” I murmur, giving a small nod. “I’ll think about it.”

And I will. But not in the way he thinks. It’ll be something that keeps me up at night, thinking about all the ways my life might be different.

A slow smile spreads across Beau’s face, his dimples winking at me. Without warning, he bends down, bands his arms behind my thighs, and launches me onto the bed with a playful grunt.

A startled yelp escapes my lips as I bounce on the mattress, my hair fanning out around me in a wild tangle. Beau follows me down, his large frame covering mine as he settles between my parted thighs. The solid weight of him pressing me into thesoft bedding sends a thrill racing down my spine, desire already sparking to life low in my belly.

“Beau!” I laugh breathlessly, the sound turning into a soft moan as he nuzzles into the crook of my neck, his stubble rasping deliciously against my sensitive skin. “We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Challenge accepted, Peach,” he murmurs against the column of my throat.

51

ELOISE

I feellike I’m floating. No, scratch that. I feel like I’mflying. Everything inside me is light, unburdened for the first time in what feels like forever. The chaos of the Gauntlet, the constant worry about my sisters, even the ache of my past—all of it feels distant right now. Like a healing bruise.

It’s not just the sun streaming through the windows or the smell of fresh coffee wafting from the kitchen. It’s not even the sound of Vivie giggling from her bedroom or Margot studying her ass off for classes. It’s him.

Beau.

The man who showed up in my life like a storm and somehow brought a sense of calm with him.

I can still feel the ghost of his touch from last night, the way his hand lingered at the small of my back, like he couldn’t bear to let me go. The way he whispered my name, soft but sure, like it was a prayer.

I close my eyes for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips. My heart does a little somersault in my chest, and I don’t even try to stop it.

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