Page 52 of The Passion

“We can’t be together…”

“What the fuck! I told you last night this bullshit is over. I’m not letting you go!” His yell has Forrest’s eyes opening wide, and he sits up, ready to fight whoever is attacking.

But I can’t be worrying about Forrest when I need to be yelling at Flynn.

“I told you to listen and don’t react, and I didn’t even get more than four words out and you are yelling at me, asshole. Now shut up and let me finish.”

Flynn huffs, and I can hear Forrest sniggering off to the side, but my focus is on the man who has steam coming out of his ears and is ready to lose his mind in front of me.

“What I was trying to say is we can’t be together as far as my father or the rest of the world knows, until this is all over. We can’t afford the media attention, and I can’t give my father any more ammunition to use against me.” I take a breath after trying to say it all quickly so that he wouldn’t interrupt me again.

“Oh, great, so I’m going to be your dirty little secret.” The frown lines on his forehead tell me he isn’t too keen with the idea. At first, I thought he was saying it as a joke because that’s what Flynn does, but his serious face tells me there are no jokes being thrown around now.

“No, it’s not like that. We just have to be smart about this.” I’m almost pleading with him to trust me on this. “I know my father. He will use you against me, and I can’t afford to have the one person I care about and who is in my corner to be hurt because of me. I worry that in order to get to me, he will hurt you or any of your friends and family.” I sigh at the realization of what I’m coming to terms with. “To be honest, I’m only just beginning to understand that I don’t truly know my father or what he is capable of, and that is a scary thought.”

“I’m not worried about me,” Flynn says with the softness of how much he cares. The gentle way he places his hand on my cheek so I’m looking at him shows me that his full attention is on making sure I understand how much he means it.

“And don’t you worry about all of us.” Forrest’s voice reminds me that he is here too. “Let him try. We are stronger than anything he wants to throw at us.”

In my heart I’m swooning at these two men, but I know I can’t let that sway my thoughts.

“You may think it’s okay now, but I can’t take the extra worry of protecting you all too when I’m so busy watching my own back.”

The deep growl that comes from Flynn is almost like he is in pain.

“I’m here to protect you, not the other way around.” Not caring that Forrest is right beside us, Flynn pulls my face to him and his lips are on me. The kiss is hard, passionate, and reaffirms his claiming of me.

As much as I want to keep going and kiss him back the way he is taking me, I’m embarrassed at having his brother watch us.

Pulling away, I pant at the lack of oxygen. “Flynn, be considerate.”

“He doesn’t care,” Flynn declares.

“Not the point.” I try to push up now to put some distance between us. It’s the only way he is going to listen to anything I’m trying to tell him.

I glare at him to make my point.

“Fine.” He glares in protest as he lets me go.

I stand and walk through the cabin, trying to get my nerves to settle and ignore my longing to run away from all this turmoil.

“Look, Flynn, you have to do this my way. This is my problem, and I know my father, well, most of the time, and what the best way to handle him is.”

“I understand that, but I want you with me. I want you in my bed at night and to wake up with you in the morning, knowing that I’m giving you strength to get through this.”

“Christ, you can’t just soothe me with sex every night.” The moment the words are out of my mouth, I’m already regretting them.

“Oh fuck, you two are perfect together.” Forrest laughs.

Both of us glare at him at the same time, and then Flynn’s head is whipping back around to face me.

“Is your opinion that low of me that you think this thing between us is just about sex?” He stands, and I can see the frustration that is pushing toward anger is radiating off him.

“I didn’t say that! Don’t put words in my mouth!” Now this discussion is not going in the direction it was supposed to.

“You may as well have,” Flynn spits back at me.

Both of us have body language that shows we are on the defensive. My hands are on my hips, and his arms are crossed tightly across his body like he is almost sulking. We stare ateach other while we are trying to work out how to back out of this argument that has been created out of nothing. It’s what happens when you are both stressed and navigating something so new.

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