Page 47 of Give Me Redemption

I know I’m a fuck-up, I know I do shit that doesn’t make sense, but I never thought he’d hide anything this big from me.

It’s our mom.

She left us both, but apparently, not him, just me.

He’s the savior in this situation, and I’m just the guy left out of the loop.

I turn into Michelle’s apartment complex and jump out of the truck. Walking inside, I choose the stairs instead of the elevator. Hitting the top step, I push open the door to her hall and narrow my eyes when I see her standing there talking to some guy.

“Hey,” I call out. She turns to me, giving me a smile, but I’m not in the fucking mood for smiles.

The man looks at me, too. “You must be Jace?” he says as I near them. “Good to meet you. I’m the neighbor.”

I narrow my eyes but shake his hand. “Same, man.”

“Thanks for the sugar,” he says to Michelle, but something flashes across his face.

“Anytime,” she replies after clearing her throat. He walks past me, giving me a tight smile. I don’t return it. Something is up here. “This one yours?” I signal to the open door.

“Yeah,” she says. “Come in.”

I walk past her and hear her shut the door behind me.

“You okay?” she asks.

“You fucking that guy?” I counter.

“What?” she blanches, her pupils stretching across brown-green.

“You heard me.”

She crosses her arms and nods. “Why is that your business?”

“I don’t want you sleeping with anybody.”

“Okay, so we’re playing this?”

“I’m not playing anything,” I say.

“First off, you need to chill out with the attitude. Second, I don’t think we ever agreed to make whatever this is between us an official thing. Are you sleeping with other people?”

“Yes,” I say honestly.

“You don’t get to come in here and point fingers at me then.”

I hang my hands on my hips, staring at her. She doesn’t back down, looking pissed and so fucking beautiful, I could fall at her feet and give her everything I have.

Without thought, I rush to her, my hands going to the side of her face. Just as her arms fall from her chest, my lips press to hers, and it’s just like I imagined. Sweet seduction.

Her back hits the door with a thud, and when her tongue touches mine, I swear I see fireworks.

My chest fills with this odd feeling, and I never want to stop kissing her.

I feel her hands go to my arms before one goes to the back of my neck, bringing me closer.

She moans and I kiss her better, harder, slower. I make love to her mouth while holding her in place, and I promise I’ve never had a kiss affect me like this.

Not once.

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