Page 64 of The Rivals' Touch

I open my mouth to answer, but he slaps me.

“Zayd has your fucking phone?!”

I cradle my reddening cheek. “I’ll get it back tomorrow, Daddy. I promise.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Ariana pops her head inside, smiling. “There you are, darling. I was looking for you.”

My father smooths his palm down his shirt and keeps his eyes on me as he replies, “I’ll be down in a minute. I’m talking to my daughter.”

Her smile falters. “Oh, okay.” Then she disappears from the doorway.

My father waits for her footsteps to retreat before pointing at me. “This conversation isn’t over!”

As soon as the door slams shut behind him, I drag in deep, ragged breaths.

My eyelids flutter and tears well in my eyes.

“What the fuck?” Zayd growls, stepping out of the wardrobe. “He fucking slapped you, Remi!”

His fingers trace my burning skin as I fight to keep the panic at bay.

“You need to leave, Zayd!”

“Hey, hey,” he soothes, cupping my cheeks. “Look at me!”

“Please! If he finds you in here—”

“He won’t!” Zayd’s eyes search my face. “He won’t, okay?” His voice is quieter this time, softer.

“I’m scared!”

He steps closer, and his forehead comes down to press against mine. “He’s not going to hurt you.”

I clutch his t-shirt and release a gut-wrenching sob. It rips through my body. “Please, Zayd. I’m begging you! Go to your room.”

He shakes his head, then dives down to steal a forbidden kiss.

I try to fight him off. I know this is wrong, but he bands his arms around my waist and deepens the kiss until my insides sing with something other than despair.

“Leave,” I whisper between kisses, lost in him. He tastes of mint and desire – and of things I shouldn’t want, but I crave them anyway.

I pull on the short strands of black hair at the nape of his neck. It’s thick and silky.

He shuts me up with another toe-curling kiss and lifts me off the ground, carrying me over to the bed.

“He could come in at any time,” I warn as he lowers me down on the soft sheets.

Zayd climbs on top of me, crawling over my body like a lion with its kill. “He won’t.”

His mouth is back on mine, and his heavy body presses me down on the mattress.

“Zayd!” I tear my lips away and stare at the closed door while he trails kisses down my neck.

“What are you doing to me?” His lips recapture mine, and he plunges his tongue inside my mouth, groaning. His hands are everywhere, grabbing, squeezing. “I can’t stop thinking about you!”

“You need to leave!”

“Fuck!” he groans, palming my ass, his fingers digging into my soft flesh. Just when I’m about to give in, he climbs off the bed, running his hands through his mussed-up, dark hair. “You drive me fucking insane!” My t-shirt has been pushed up, and his eyes fall to my exposed bra and heaving chest.

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