Page 80 of Ashes of Saints

More than that...he—me—has feelings for her. Feelings that have no goddamn place in this world. I want to hate this child—this woman—and a part of me still does.

I need to get out of here.

She’s innocent. I hear Maddox’s voice in my head.

“Are you okay?” Aurora asks, placing a hand on my back. I didn’t even hear her cross the room. “I understand this is a lot.”

Something in her tone makes me turn, my eyes falling to hers to understand. Looking vulnerable and worried, I realize she’s concerned that I won’t want her anymore.

Aurora has decided she knows who I am as a man. Successful, powerful, and looking for the perfect woman to make my wife. Like any billionaire in America.

She’s only half right.

I am successful and powerful.

But I have pussy on tap at the Alliance Club. That isn’t going to change for a very long time. Intimacy or a relationship is not something I seek.

Not when it triggers these emotions and memories.

I clear my throat and cup her cheek, shifting her flaming, dark red hair.

I have one goal: to keep having access to Mary-Anne’s home. Which means Aurora's life and now, apparently, heart.

“We all have baggage, sweetheart.” I decide to throw her a bone.

Breaking her is no longer my goal. She doesn’t deserve it. If I find out she is fucking with me, I will destroy her. Otherwise, I will take what I need, then leave her to pick up the pieces of her life.

As I’m trying to do with mine.

“I need to be honest with you about one thing. I’m not looking for anything long term here. This is getting intense. You’re beautiful, smart, and sexy as fuck, but that doesn’t change anything.”

To her credit, Aurora doesn’t react.

Not visibly.

Her hand, which had nestled on my chest, falls away as she lets space fall between us. My natural instinct is to pull her back, but I slide my hands into my pants pocket and let the space back up my words.

I enforce it with a single step of my own.

“I see.” Her words are empty.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to keep fucking you. I do.” I add. “And as promised, if you and Chloe want to come to the club tonight, I’ll take you.”

Aurora wraps her arms around herself and nods, keeping her chin up. “Okay,” she replies cooly.

“Do you want to check with Chloe?”

She shakes her head. “No, she’ll clear her schedule.”

God, I hate that I’ve hurt her. It was a risk to push her away, but if she falls in love with me...if I allow myself to feel more, this gets really fucked up.

“But Parker?” she asks, and I lift a brow. “If this is casual, then your possessive behavior from last night needs to stop.”

Like fucking...

That takes me by surprise. I feel my face darken, ready to argue and tell her she is mine.

Aurora is right. I have no claim on her and after what I just said, I can’t backtrack. My brain searches for a way around this.

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