Page 57 of Forbidden Bond

“Hmm. Of course you do, princess. When it comes to you, everything’s real. And everything hurts.”

I don’t understand what he’s trying to say. I concentrate on the drive and he doesn’t say anything else until we’re in his house. He lets me lead him toward his bedroom. I even help him out of his shirt and jeans, tucking him into bed. When I’m about to leave though, he grips my hand.

“I lied to you,” he murmurs sleepily.

“About?” I ask, despite the racing of my heart.

It’s all too much. Being in here with him is overwhelming.

“The worst thing I ever did wasn’t sleeping with a married woman. It was when I almost beat a guy to death in college.”

His hand drops away from mine at the end of that statement. He falls onto his pillow, and in a matter of seconds, he’s asleep. I don’t move for several seconds as I take in his confession.

Why did he tell me that?

CHAPTER 18

Topher

The smell of something burning propels me out of sleep and to my feet. Without pausing to think, I rush out of my room, heading toward the kitchen. My eyes meet panicked blue ones right before I jump into action.

“What the fuck, Katherine? Are you trying to burn the place down?” I put out the small fire on the stove by smacking it with an oven mitt. She’s biting her lip with a frown. “What are you doing?”

Now that the fire’s out, I take the time to let it sink in that she’s here, in my house.

She sighs softly. “I was going to try to prepare us some breakfast.”

I look into the pot, unable to even recognize what’s inside or what she had been trying to cook.

“It looks more to me like you were trying to poison us both. Come on,” I say, leading her out of the kitchen so she doesn’t inhale too much of the smoke.

She falls onto my couch in a dramatic fashion and I raise an eyebrow. Did we have some sort of reconciliation last night that’s giving her reason to be so comfortable in here?

“I can’t believe how hopeless I am in the kitchen. I was trying to poach eggs,” she mutters.

Ah, so those were eggs. Damn. I almost smile at her abysmal attempt but I’m still confused as to her presence in here.

“I brought you home,” she says, reading my expression. “You were pretty out of it last night.”

My memory is a little hazy but I seem to remember her barging into the room at the club with Clyde.

“You didn’t leave?”

“I slept on the couch,” she replies.

“Why?”

“Because…” she trails off. “How much do you remember from last night?”

“I’m sure it’ll all come back to me before the end of the day,” I assure her.

She nods, looking distracted. I realize her eyes have trailed down to my body, around the same time I realize how little clothes I’m wearing.

“Take a picture, Katherine. I’ll last longer.”

She looks up at my eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Then she rolls her eyes.

“Go put on some clothes,” she mutters.

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