Page 41 of The Passion

“Tell me why, Felisha, I need to hear the words.”

Her eyes flutter, and I can see the slight flush on her cheeks at us being so close. She doesn’t want to answer but knows I won’t give up until she does.

“Because you will protect me.”

“And?” I push her not because I want to make her uncomfortable but because my fucking head needs to hear the words.

“I need you. Okay? I fucking need you!” she yells at me, and my whole body feels alive.

“Yes, you fucking do!” I growl back at her before I take her lips in the kiss that I have been aching to give her since the moment she stood in that doorway earlier.

Breaking apart, we are both panting, and I want to show her all the ways she needs me, but I can’t. Later, though… there will be no holding back.

“I’ve got you, princess.” I kiss her softer and then shift her so she is more comfortable, nestled into my arm, and her legs are resting along the couch.

“Now start at the beginning, I want to know everything.” I run my hand up and down her arm softly to comfort her.

“I feel so stupid. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran.” Her timidness is so not the woman I know.

“You weren’t running. You were coming to me.” I squeeze her arm a little and reassure her. “And now we fight together.”

For the first time, I see a small slither of relief on her face as she nods.

“Now start talking, woman.” I need to know what I’m dealing with.

Chapter Nine

FELISHA

The whole flight to Australia I sat in a trancelike state.

I can’t believe he would do that to me.

My own father used his daughter as a pawn in his game.

Staring out the window of the plane as it flew in over Sydney Harbour Bridge, exhaustion hit from no sleep. As much as I tried, I just couldn’t stop my brain from reliving things that had happened over the last few years that I was now looking at in a totally different way.

The last thing I wanted to do was change planes again to fly to Queensland where Flynn was, but I knew the moment I found him that I could truly fall apart. Until now, I have cried, yelled, and screamed, but I needed that full-on breakdown that I knew would have my body just collapse and let loose. I was saving that one all for Flynn. I don’t know how, but there is something about that man that makes me feel safe. I mean, for anyone looking at him from the outside, all they see is the superficial playboy that he chooses to show them. But he is so much more.

I can’t pinpoint why I am attracted to him so much, but I also know I can’t seem to shake it either.

There are so many reasons why we shouldn’t match at all together, yet the moment we are alone, behind closed doors, the world seems to stop spinning. And the only thing I know is that the man in front of me in that moment is someone who sees deep inside me to places I’m not even game to go sometimes.

That first night in the bar, I was just looking for a good time and so was he.

But I think we both knew it was so much more the moment he kissed me against that wall, as soon as we walked into my room.

What I hate so much, though, is that night will forever be soured by what my father did. He took away from us something that was so private and special, and I can never get that memory back. It will never be just ours but instead something half the world got to see. The moment that tape was released, I lost a large part of myself, or so I felt.

My dignity.

Something I have managed all my life to hold in high regard. Some may say I demand respect in the way I conduct myself, and I’m okay with that, but that night I was made to look like trash.

And that feeling can never be erased.

Exiting the plane and going through customs was horrendous. How do people do this when they travel? There were lines, with children who were tired and crying from being on a long-haul flight. Not to mention people who were complaining constantly about how long it was taking. I wanted to be one of those people, but to be honest, I didn’t even have the energy, and I just needed to blend in with the crowd.

I was here as Colleen Cuthbertson from Manchester. The name that Harper had picked for my passport was easy for me to remember. It was my mother’s middle name and Harper’smother’s maiden surname. Two women I respected, and it made me feel fierce having part of them with me right now. The Manchester came from the football team that Harper supports. That part I couldn’t care less about, but it made me laugh because she wanted to be part of the girl code in my disguise. I have no idea how many international laws I’m breaking here, but thankfully, everything went smoothly as I finally cleared the customs line with nothing to declare. I mean, I don’t even have luggage except for my carry-on. To me that should scream red flag because what woman flies thirty-odd hours from home without at least three suitcases.

---