Page 11 of Filthy Savage

If today is the only day we spend together, then so be it. It could be a day I never forget, and I’d rather hold on to that than have it ruined by the realities of my existence.

He grabs my hand again, and his firm grasp has me fighting a sob.

To have a man like this—a strong, kind man.

It feels nice. Too nice.

It’s as though he’d break through every wall to keep me safe. Like he’d never hurt me.

But I don’t actually know him, do I? He could be just about anyone.

We settle into a booth at the casual restaurant inside the hotel, and when the waitress with a chest triple the size of mine approaches, he doesn’t even look at her.

Xander always looked at other women right in front of me. Like he didn’t care. I swear the more I remember everything he’sdone, the more I wonder what the hell is wrong with me. How could I have allowed it to go on for so long?

Fionn’s bright green eyes linger on mine, forcing me to focus on him as he orders our drinks. The way he gazes at me has my heart racing like mad, enjoying the way he takes me in, like he’s touching me without ever doing so.

“What do you wanna eat?”

I glance down at the menu, shocked at the prices. Forty dollars for a burger and fries. Thirty for a plain salad. This is crazy.

“Uh, maybe I’ll have the mozzarella sticks.”

They’re a bit cheaper, but not even by that much.

“What?” He chuckles. “You can’t just eat that. Do you like steak? The steak is really good.”

I’ve only had it once, and I remember how much I enjoyed it, but there’s no way I can justify the cost. One hundred and fifty dollars, to be exact.

“Emily…” He reaches for my hand from across the booth. “If you want it, just tell me. You don’t have to worry about how much it costs, babe.”

My heart skips a beat. I hate to admit how much I like the way he calls me “babe.”

He smirks, and it shoots right to my belly, making me warm and completely aware of how much I’m attracted to him.

My stomach growls again.

Screw it. I should get that steak. I haven’t had a nice meal in forever.

There you go, Amara. Finally doing something for yourself for once.

“Steak sounds nice. Thanks, Fionn.” Even his name is sexy.

When the waitress returns with our drinks, he orders two steaks and mozzarella sticks, then hands her the menus. I sip on my Diet Coke, biting on the tip of the straw.

All the while, I take my time looking at him. Really looking.

His deep, dark mahogany strands are coiffed back—fuller at the top, tapered on the sides. His face looks as though it was carved by the gods themselves. The snake-and-floral tattoo on his right hand stretches to the tips of his fingers, making him appear dangerous. The veins on his neck throb beneath his skin, making it hard to concentrate on anything else besides how hot he is.

My body grows taut at the sight of him. At the words he said to me earlier, the way he wanted me…

I swear I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’m aching for his hands, his body, for every inch of him.

Who am I right now? These feelings are a little scary, but exciting too.

The desire to run my fingers across the stubble of his jaw, to touch him everywhere, fills my mind. In my thoughts, I can do whatever I want to him and have him do the same. Though I could never be that brave in reality.

It’s no surprise I find him attractive. He’s older. Confident. Has protective instincts. He’s objectively handsome in a very masculine, dominating kind of way. Any woman with eyes would agree.

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