Page 35 of Save Me the Trouble
“I want you,” I said simply. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you.”
“No.” She tried to fight it, shaking her head. “I can’t.”
“Why?” I pressed, tipping her head so she couldn’t hide from my gaze. “Tell me the truth, Grace. Why do you keep fighting how we both feel? Is it because of him? Because of Sheetz?”
Her eyes searched mine for something—maybe a reason to resist, maybe a reason to give in.
“Tell me what happened,” I begged, hearing the wordstrust mepunctuate the plea.
Her throat bobbed, and I watched tears well in her eyes. For a second, I thought she wasn’t going to tell me, but then she sagged into my hands like she was too tired to fight anymore.
“I had a relationship with him, and I didn’t realize he was married,” she began, and my stomach started to turn.
I couldn’t stop the way I stiffened with anger; I’d wanted to do more than force him to resign. I’d wanted to force him to dig his own grave, but I knew that was too far. I knew Grace would think that was too far.
“His wife found out and told him he had to fail me or she’d leave him.”
Rage rolled through me. It was a good thing I hadn’t known the details before I’d had Sheetz remove himself from his position. I thought he’d come on to her like he had to several other female students who’d previously filed complaints, and I thought she’d given him a piece of her mind and that was why he’d failed her from the program.
This was worse.
“I didn’t want to stay anyway,” she went on quickly, her cheeks flushed. “I was so ashamed and…angry. I just wanted to get away from it all. And I swore I wouldn’t let it happen again,” she finished, her voice barely audible. “I swore I’d never get involved with a man who had…power over me.”
The pain of what she suffered…the anger I felt over it…it churned through me, but not nearly as strong as the protectiveness I felt over her heart. It was mine.Shewas mine. And I’d take care of her for as long as it took for her to see it.
“I won’t hurt you, Grace,” I murmured, letting my forehead rest on hers. “I swear it.”
“I know,” she whimpered, and then I felt her hands on my chest. “It doesn’t change what you are to me.”
“I’m no longer a client, Grace.”
Her sharp inhale pierced the air. “What?”
“The contract with Embers is done. I’m ending it.”
“But your grandmother?—”
“I already called her and told her it was over. I found my match. I found the woman I want to be with,” I told her and then forced her head to lift.
If she wanted me to go, I would go. Even though it was the last thing I wanted. I’d walk away if that was the proof she needed from me. The evidence that I’d always put her first.
“And I’ll do whatever it takes for however long it takes to prove it to you,” I drawled slow and drew back, my fingers loosening where they held her face.
“Killian…”
“I’ll do whatever you want, Grace. Anything.” My jaw pulsed. “Even if what you want is for me to leave.”
Her eyes fluttered and met mine, and then I felt it—her fingers curl into my jacket, not to push me away, but to pull me closer.
“Stay,” she said softly and then lifted up on her toes, pressing her mouth to mine.
I let out a groan. There was no going back. Not a fucking chance.
For a beat, I let her kiss me. I let her test the waters. Tease my lips. Coax them open with her tongue. I let her tempered torture last just long enough for her to make sure this was what she wanted.
And then when her tongue pressed into my mouth and tangled with mine, the tension that had been building between us for weeks snapped. I took control of the kiss, sliding my fingers back through her hair and angling her head to deepen my access.
Her soft moan was all the encouragement I needed to kiss her until she couldn’t stand straight. Until I had to take the wine bottle and set it on the floor and then back her up against the wall.
