Page 50 of Burn for You

“Marisol?” Marina’s voice is behind me. She squeals as she runs past me, colliding with Marisol. They both laugh as they embrace, and I feel a steady presence come up behind me.

“What the fuck happened here?” I lean back into Heath’s hard body, and instantly feel steady. He’s got this calming presence about him, even though some people might look at him and think he’s anything but. “Who’s that?”

“Rafael’s sister.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Leo yanks Jack up off the floor. “Let’s go buddy.”

“Marisol!” He yells out, but she ignores him, talking to Marina as he’s hauled out the back door.

The rest of the club is still pumping, not paying attention to us and what’s going on. Caio and Isla are nowhere to be seen. They probably found their own little alcove. Rafael’s eyes find mine across the space. Concern lining his brown eyes.

I can’t read the look in his gaze, but I nod, and he nods back.

Marisol finally lets go of Marina and swaps her embrace for one of Rafael’s. He leans his head on hers, fully breathing her in. I’ve never seen him hug anyone but Isla, but he hugs Marisol hard, like she might disappear if he lets go. I’ve never seen him so furious as when he saw Jack with me, and it all makes so much sense now. I hate to even say it, but this time, I’m glad Rafael interrupted me.

Marisol pulls away. “I need to go deal with all of this.”

“Do you want backup?” Rafael asks.

She shakes her head. “I’m good guys,grazie.”

She squeezes Rafael’s hand before letting go. “It was good to see you all, though it could’ve been under better circumstances.” She shrugs.

Marina yanks her into another hug. “Come visit us next time then, huh? Ma would love to see you.”

Marisol nods, kissing Marina on the cheek and does the sameto Rafael before she walks over to me. “It was sort of nice to meet you…Lily, was it?”

“It’s May actually,” I say. “Sorry I hit on your guy.”

She laughs. “You did me a favor, I guess. I’ll see you guys.” She waves and follows out the back door after Leo and Jack.

It makes me pause that she didn’t say more than that to Rafael. From what Leo said, they haven’t seen each other in years, and that’s it? No big reunion, no big talk? No talk at all, really. Maybe they reallyaren’ton good terms.

Rafael floats over to me without even noticing. “You okay?” I ask.

He nods. “Let’s go home.”

chapter nineteen

RAFAEL

I settle backinto the couch with my computer on my lap. I’m going over the restaurant’s finances. I can hear muffled music down the hall coming from May’s bedroom. I haven’t seen much of her since Friday night at the club. She’s kept to herself as if she doesn’t know how to act if she sees me, and neither do I anymore.

God only knows what I was thinking that night I went into her room. As soon as I heard that buzzing noise coming from her room, I couldn’t stand it. I went down there to tell her that I could hear it, but then I knocked, and she didn’t stop. Then I heard her moan. That gorgeous fucking moan nearly sent me over the edge. I couldn’t stop myself from opening the door, and when she didn’t notice me, I couldn’t stop myself from watching her.

I can barely believe what happened after that, but I’ll never forget the feeling pumping through my body as I walked out of that room. As I walked straight into the shower and took care of myself.

Fucking idiot, that’s what I am, confusing the both of us.

And then I saw her dancing in the club on Friday, and I nearly lost my goddamn mind. Everything she does infuriates me, but seeing her like that had me paralyzed. Seeing her in that sexy little dress, seeing her touch herself while looking straight at me. Everybone in my body wanted to get out there, to put my hands on her waist, and let her dance against me. But then I saw Jack. Saw the way her whole body reacted to his presence and my blood started boiling on site. And not just because it was Jack.

I was angry at myself for feeling that way, the same way I feel whenever I see May with any man. It’s unwarranted, but it’s there. Amplified by a hundred now that I’ve seen her the way that I have. If she thought I didn’t want her to be with any guy before this, she has no idea the intensity with which I feel that now.

I have no right to feel this way, not with how I’ve treated her. I can’t feel this way, but with the way she bites, I can’t help but bite back.

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