Page 23 of Grave Intentions

I stand there, paralyzed by his closeness, his intensity. A part of me wants to shrink away, to put distance between us. But another part, a deeper, darker part, longs to lean in closer, to lose myself in the depths of his eyes.

“Do you promise?” I stammer, hating how my voice trembles with uncertainty.

Talon reaches out, his calloused fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “I swear to you that nothing on this earth can keep me away from you.”

I fight against the dizzying effect of his touch. “Talon,” I breathe his name, almost moan it.

He takes another step closer, backing me up against the wall. “Yes, princess?” he murmurs, his lips almost brushing mine. “What do you want?”

Heat floods my cheeks as I meet his piercing gaze. “Kiss me again, please,” I demand.

His jaw clenches. “Lena,” he says my name in a warning tone, but I’m so needy for him. I wake most mornings panting his name. And if he doesn’t kiss me again soon, it feels like I’ll combust.

“Please,” I push.

His lips brush against mine barely as he shuts his eyes and growls softly. “This is a bad idea. Do you know how fucking close I am to snapping?”

I lick my lips, wanting him to snap and give me what I want.

“No, Lena,” he says, pushing away from me. “We made a deal. You stick to it. Got it?”

His refusal hurts, even though I know he doesn’t want to touch me until I’m eighteen. Talon must see the hurt in my eyes because his expression softens slightly. “I won’t risk it until you’re eighteen. The age of consent may be sixteen, but you know how much sway Mr. Wilson has in this town. He’s got a buddy at the precinct, and if Mr. Wilson told him I touched you when you were seventeen, he’d try to say I groomed you or something.”

He’s right. The Wilson family has a lot of connections in Salem, and I know it’s the kind of thing Mr. Wilson would do. “You’re right,” I admit.

His jaw clenches. “I overheard them also.”

Confusion washes over me as I stare at him. “Overheard them saying what?”

He draws in a deep breath. “I overheard the Wilsons talking to the Collins family about you and David’s engagement.”

Engaged? To David Collins?

I’ve gone on a few dates with him since the movie theatre because Mrs. Wilson insisted. And thankfully, I’ve been able to ward off his continued sexual advances. But I assumed I’d be free of him when I left for college since I secured a full-ride scholarship to MIT.

“That can’t be right,” I stammer. “I would never agree to that.”

Talon laughs. “You really think they care what you want, Lena?” He grabs my hips hard, the sensation sending a bolt of lightning to my core.

I know they don’t care. Mrs. Wilson wouldn’t care if I told her how David always tries to make a move on me, even when I say no.

“Once I’ve graduated high school, I’ve aged out of the system and don’t have to answer to them. How do they expect to force me to marry David?”

Talon’s gaze hardens. “I don’t know exactly,” he admits. “But I know the Wilsons, and they will have some way of making you do what they want. Maybe they’ll find a way to use your scholarship at MIT against you.”

I open my mouth to protest, but Talon speaks first.

“Don’t try to tell me they wouldn’t do that,” he says. “I heard it with my own ears. Your future is sealed.”

Tears spill down my cheeks as the weight of his words settles over me. Trapped. That’s what I am. A prisoner in my own life, with no say in my own future.

Talon’s expression softens ever so slightly as he takes in my distress. “Hey,” he murmurs, brushing the tears from my cheeks. “It’s not too late. I told you I’ll take you away once I’ve savedenough. I’m in line for assistant manager at JJ’s, so I’ll earn more.”

I blink up at him, my heart fluttering with fear and hope. “You want me to leave with you still?”

The corner of Talon’s mouth curves upward in a crooked smile. “Of course. We can start over somewhere new, somewhere they can’t control us.” He pauses, his gaze boring into mine. “Just you and me, Lena. Together.”

I stare at him, unblinking. Leave everything behind? With Talon? The idea is equally terrifying and exhilarating, and I am drawn to his promise of freedom.

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