Page 9 of Second Goal

“That’s okay. I only wanted a taste.” He winks at her, then smirks at me before turning and heading toward the elevators.

“Little shit,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck when Kiley shuts the door.

She turns and looks up at me, frowning. “Tyler’s harmless.”

I grunt. “You know why he came here, right? He wants to sleep with you.”

“So?” She walks away from me, headed toward the living room and I follow her. “You made it clear to him that there’s nothing between us. I can sleep with whoever I—”

I twist her toward me, cupping her face. “Don’t play games.”

“I’m not the one playing games.” Those blue eyes search mine boldly. I see the unspoken questions there. The need. The hope.

I press my forehead against hers and sigh. “This... it’s just... complicated.”

“You meanI’mcomplicated.”

I drag my thumb across her jaw, then over her bottom lip. “Yeah, darling. You are. But so am I.” More than she knows. I’m not the fucking hero everyone thinks I am. And I’m sure as hell not the kind of man who believes in happily ever afters and all that love bullshit. There was a time when I’d thought all that fairy tale shit was real. But then I had my heart carved out and served to me on a silver platter of betrayal.

“What?” Kiley raises a brow, and says teasingly, “Blake Starowics isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks?”

I grunt. “Far from it.”

She gives a small shrug, palms flattening on my chest. “It doesn’t mean we can’t have sex. Kane doesn’t have to know. No strings attached.” There’s a dare in her eyes, and I’m not sure if she’s trying to tempt me or push me away. I don't think she knows herself. “Friends with benefits. Booty call. Whatever you want to call it.”

I lean closer, accepting the dare. “You don’t know me very well if you think I’d ever be satisfied with just that. If we do this, I’d want everything. Are you ready for that, Kiley? To open up completely? To let me see you?”

To give yourself to a man who will only ever be able to give you half of himself?I don’t say those last words out loud, but the reality of it hits me. We’re both too damaged.

She trembles under my hard, searching gaze. But for every brick that comes down, I swear two more rise up.

“I...” Her gaze drops to the floor.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” A sad smile tugs at my lips and I step back. My feet feel like lead every step I take away from her, but I know I need to put some distance between us before I start thinking with my cock again.

I’m protecting her, I try and convince myself, even though I feel more like a coward than a hero.

I call for Pax to follow me when I open the door. Needing to escape the pressure that’s building inside of me.

Because I know this isn’t just about protecting Kiley.

It’s about my own demons. My own fear of giving my heart to another womanwho’ll just crush it again. And falling in love with Kiley isn’t just reckless. It could ruin us both.

Chapter Two

Kiley

When sunlight begins to fill my bedroom, I groan into my pillow. I didn’t sleep a minute last night. Mostly because I couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss. The way Blake’s lips felt against mine. The way his hands roamed my body. And the way my heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest when he’d left.

I’d finally told him what I wanted, and he walked away.But not before I’d seen the flash of regret in his eyes. But maybe he’s right. We’re both too broken.

As much as I want his arms wrapped around me, to believe that he’ll protect me, to tell him everything, I know the truth. He’d run straight to my brother, and my ass would be out on the streets again.

A cold chill races through my body, and I feel a surge of panic build inside me as memories slam into my mind without warning.

His face.

Her cries.

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