“I may have forced your family’s hand, but I’m not forcing you.”

“Yes, you are!” I yell.

“I’m the devil you know. We both know that if it’s not me, it will be someone else one day.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

“You still love me. I just have to remind you that you do.” The air of cockiness is outrageous. He sounds so sure of himself.

I stand. “You want a woman who poisons you? One who hates everything you came from? One who would never choose you first?” My voice rises with each new truth I speak.

“I want a woman who’s not scared of me. One who’s willing to poison me to put me in my place. One who gets off on me fighting back, because no one else has the balls to do it. If that means not choosing me first, it’s okay, because I’ll always choose her first.”

“Just let me hate you,” I plead, my voice shattering like glass.

“I have been. How’s that working out?” He pauses. “It’s time I change the rules.”

He tries to pull me in, and I fight him. My life was so much easier when he was the man I hated. My fists hit his hard chest, but he doesn’t even flinch. I have easily pushed everyone away from me. Fin has to be the most stubborn, handsome and charming man I have ever wanted to strangle.

My fists pound slower and weaker with each thought until I stop.

“I’d rather die by your gun than to live a meaningless life.” He kisses the top of my head.

My arms wrap around him, and I hate he has weakened me. I let him hold me, and I sink into his touch.

“I don’t want to be standing over your grave, telling you I told you so.” I sigh.

“All I ask is for the bullet not to go in my back.” His arms hold me tighter. This would be so much easier if I could turn off my feelings. If he were a bad man. If he weren’t my best friend.

“Promises are made to be broken. I won’t waste either of our time,” I respond.

His hand cups the back of my neck as he kisses me. The graveyard disappears as we lose ourselves, my heart fluttering as I feel his erection through his pants.

“Everything I need to know is in your kiss.” He grins.

His normally clear eyes are glazed with lust, our chests moving rapidly from our heaving breaths. He kisses me again. It’s like he can’t stop, and I welcome being lost in his touch. I allow him to take over my body and mind as my hands drag through his short hair, and his pull me in closer by my ass.

“I’m trying to let you in,” I confess.

My hand cups his dick then, and I look around. We’re surrounded by trees and small shrubs amongst the headstones. There’s no movement in the area, so my hand unzips his pants and slips into his boxers. The tip of his cock pushes out of the top.

“We don’t need to do this,” he whispers.

I shove down his pants, and his dick bobs. “I want to.” Slowly, as I keep eye contact, I kneel to the ground. I’m completely hidden from anyone who might glance our way as I take him into my mouth. His cock is fat with bulging veins as I take him in, my lips stretching to accommodate his size. I blow him enthusiastically, and his hips jerk with each of my movements.

His fingers grasp a lock of my hair. I can feel him trying to pull me away, and I suck harder. I want to be the reason he comes undone.

He’s turned my world upside down as I question everything about myself and him. My tongue twirls around his shaft as my cheeks hollow. A low groan erupts as his hips jerk faster, and I hold on as he erupts in my mouth.

I swallow it all, our eye contact never severing. His dick slips out of my mouth as I stand, and I tuck it back into his boxers as I pull them up.

I want Fin more than I have ever wanted anyone, and it makes my chest feel tight.

“Remember, if you ever need reassurance, just kiss me. You will always get the answer you’re looking for.” He kisses me again, his pants still not fully done up.

I hope it’s as simple as he says.

Chapter 22