Page 15 of Fallen Legacy

“Are you done?” he asks me. He’s not laughing or being smug for a change.

“Get off me,” I demand, pushing up at his chest.

“Just stop, scar. Just let go and give yourself what we both know you need,” he whispers. His beautiful brown eyes burning into mine.

I gulp as I feel a wave of nausea wash over me. “You need to get up, Arch. Now!” I tell him, pushing on his chest again.

“How many times do I have to-”

“Move. Now!” I shout, covering my mouth with one hand as the other continues to press up against his chest.

He must realise I’m not okay, because he rolls away from me in a flash, and I dart to my feet and run to the ensuite as quick as I can.

I make it just in time before I throw the contents of the lovely food he cooked us up into the toilet bowl. I can’t help but smile inside briefly at the thought that all his hard work slaving over the stove for me was for nothing.

I flinch when I feel his hand rubbing my back. “Are you okay? Are you unwell?”

I nudge my shoulder to move his hand away, but the persistent bastard continues to move his hand up and down my back. “Yes, I’m ill. Which I would have told you if you’d asked me before you kidnapped me. I have a bug, okay?”

I hear him stand to his feet and I arch a brow when he comes back over and offers me a glass of water. I want to tell him to stick the water where the sun doesn’t shine, but my mouth tastes like death, so I begrudgingly take it from him.

He leans against the sink. His legs crossed at the ankles in nothing but his black Armani boxers and damn if it doesn’t make my heart beat faster. I dab my mouth with some toilet roll then flush the toilet and get to my feet.

“Just let me go home,” I beg him.

I’m not quick enough to react when he snakes out a hand and pulls me into his space, pulling my body flush with his. “You are home. Your home is with me, Scarlet.”

“You’re deluded,” I snarl, glaring up at him, trying to deny that my heart isn’t going at the speed of ten galloping horses right now.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks me gruffly, looking down at my lips as he holds my body against his.

For a second, I want to say yes. I want to forget everything that has gone on between us and just give in to my desires. To close my eyes and lose myself in the feel of him. His touch. His kisses.

“No,” I reply weakly as I push on his chest to make some space between us. “You think you can just romance me with wine and dinner, and I’ll forgive you. Well, I won’t.”

“What will?”

I blink in surprise at his question. “What do you mean, what will?”

He runs the back of his thumb over my bottom lip. “What do I need to do to get you to forgive me?”

“I’ll never forgive you,” I vow firmly, my stony eyes glaring up into his.

“That’s okay.” He sighs. “I have forever to prove my loyalty is with you now. I’ll spend my life earning your forgiveness.”

I gulp, warring with my own emotions. When he looks at me like this and makes me such promises, I can feel my resolve weakening. I shake my head, trying to shake some sense into my befuddled brain.

“Can we just get in bed now and save the fighting for tomorrow? I was out on a job for the Elders last night and I’m beat.”

I can hear the weariness in his voice.

“What did they have you doing? Torturing an enemy, or maybe burying a body?” I snipe.

He looks down at me, without a drop of humour on his face. “Something along those lines. It’s better you don’t know, Scar.” He drops a kiss on my forehead and walks away from me.

Admitting defeat, I walk back into the bedroom in just his T-shirt and my knickers. I can feel his hungry gaze on my body as I walk around to the other side of the bed and join him. He turns the light out and we both lie on our backs in silence. So much remains unsaid between us. I can hear every breath he takes, and my body is aware of every time he shifts or sighs. It’s a whole new form of torture for me. Being so close to him and yet so far away at the same time.

ELIZA

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