Page 92 of Ashes of Saints

Because he crossed a line when it came to you, sweetheart, and I can never tell you why that matters to me. I can’t even acknowledge it myself.

Or it will fuck up everything.

Her big green eyes hold mine, waiting for my answer.

I know why he’s been riling me up. Travis wants me to see if I could hurt her. That I might actually feel something for her.

It won’t work.

I know I’m falling in love with the one woman on earth whose eyes remind me every second of the pain and cruelty done to me.

Eyes that I cannot wake to every morning.

Eyes I cannot make love to at night.

I was meant to break Aurora Whitlock, not find myself ready to fight all the lions and tigers who even glance in her direction. Yet here we fucking are.

Apparently, I’m the stupid fly in this web.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

AURORA

“Take us to Aurora’s,” Parker growls and his driver pushes the privacy screen button, and in seconds, we’re alone.

Chloe was, um, busy, so after Parker insisted she would be looked after, I did a few arm movements to get her attention. Failed. Then agreed to leave.

When the limo moves, I press my purse into my lap.

“I shouldn’t have taken you,” Parker mutters roughly.

My head snaps around. He’s not the only angry one. I am furious that he punched his friend. “What? Why?”

“You couldn’t handle it.”

Fuck him.

Although, he’s right. I’m no prude, but it was overwhelming. All around people were naked and partaking in one sexual act or another.

Watching doesn’t turn me on. Sure, I felt some arousal, but even when I wasn’t looking, my entire focus was on Parker. Who glared at me all night.

Travis wasn’t flirting or hitting on me, it was all innocent, and if Parker had kept his head he would have realized it. We were just having fun.

“If you love pasta, I know a great chicken fettuccine.” He said at one point.

“Pasta?” I laughed when I realized what he was doing.

“Slides right down your throat.” He winked.

“You’re making Parker mad. You know that, right?” I said as he spun me around while dancing.

I like him. Not in that way. Travis is fun, but with an edge that says don’t get on his bad side. Like Parker, he has an abundance of tattoos, hands covered in them, and he wore a few large rings and a chunky wristwatch.

It was his thick dark shirt and pants that gave him a sexy gangster look, but his red soled shoes reminded me this was a businessman with a bank balance similar to Parker’s, I had no doubt.

A reminder Chloe and I were in unfamiliar territory.

“Of course I do. It’s the most fun I’ve had in weeks.” I told Travis as I placed my hands on his chest after I twirled.

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