Page 94 of Brutal Obsession

This may be our final moment alone, and I refuse to give it up without sayinganything.

“What is it?” Cian traces my cheekbone with his thumb. “What’s wrong?”

I love his sleepy face more than I love flowers. In fact, would trade every blossom on Earth to possess all his sleepy expressions, even if it kills all the bees and butterflies and ruins the ecosystem for good.

I trace his face with my eyes, then my hands, then my lips. Throwing my arms around his neck, up on my toes, I kiss Cian with everything I’ve got. I love that I don’t have to explain it to him. He knows exactly what I’m saying. I know by the way his arm encircles my waist and the fingers of his other hand knot themselves in my hair.

Cian’s lips love me.

I don’t know about the rest of him, but for now, his lips will do.

No one’s ever kissed me this way.

What took you so long to get to me?I want to shout at him.Couldn’t you have come sooner?

All those years of dying a slow death under my father’s thumb. If I’d had Cian then, I could have survived it all. I’m sure of it.

If I’d had Cian, I never would’ve considered leaving New York City.

My back thuds against a wall as Cian presses us against it. Our panting between kisses goes unheard beneath the chorus of footfalls and rolling luggage of chattering tourists and vacationers stretching and yawning from that red-eye flight.

Cian grabs my ass, and I bite his lip. One of his hands flies up the back of my shirt, and the electricity zaps through us when our skin touches. We open our eyes and stare each other down. Because we need to stop.

This is no longer the time or place.

We both understand that when we round that corner, I’ll run to my sister, and he’ll walk to Finn. No one can learn what happened on that tiny island in the Pacific.

I gulp around my thick, dry throat.

Dear lord, I’m in so much trouble.

Cian tucks his forehead to mine, our noses brushing. “What was that?”

Cheeks flaming, I roll my lips together. “Just in case.”

“Just in case what?”

“I don’t get a chance to later…”

My words darken the mood, and Cian pulls away like my touch stings.

Or maybe I’m imagining that it hurts him the way it hurts me.

“Let’s go.” Cian puts his facade on, and that man who captivated me disappears.

I nod to hide the fact that I’m fighting back tears. He doesn’t reach for my hand again, and I don’t reach for his, and it’s awful because I need his strength more than I’ve ever needed anything.

Ten steps later, we reach the gate waiting area. Tears stream down my face at this point, and I’m so glad not to be the only one. Riley’s never looked more like my twin than she does now, bawling as badly as I am.

I fling myself at her and glory in her nostalgic, comforting lavender scent. She smells like our mother during the good days, when we were little, and Mom could spend all her time with us and away from Thomas Brennan. Like a me-sized glove around my whole body, she squeezes me hard.

Riley and I hold hands like children as we take the lead. Cian and Finn hang back, which is good because the pair of them together areterrifying. Over six-foot-tall, hulking monsters prowling through the airport, glaring at whoever’s unlucky enough to catch their eye.

If it were just Cian, he’d seem more like an intimidating, bulked up runway model having a bad day. But him looking glum next toFinnmultiplies the fear factor by quite a bit.

I think I’m shaking. Am I smiling? I hope I’m smiling. Travelers abound in every direction. Claustrophobia intrudesmy senses. The airport in Honolulu was more open, spread out, and peaceful. Harmonious with nature.

JFK is like a sixteen-lane highway at rush hour.

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