Page 3 of Full Throttle 2

Lila was confused as she limped around, trying to gather her clothing. “Then why? Why would you do this?”

“Golden boy needed to be taken down a peg or two. And honestly, you’re better than him anyway.”

Lila couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Still mostly undressed but covered up enough not to expose herself, she was moving toward the door, ignoring his words, ignoring the lingering thoughts of betrayal.

She stepped into the chilly night air, her mind racing as she rushed to get home. By the time Lila arrived at their shared apartment, there were no signs of Brian. But there were several boxes thrown haphazardly around full of her things. He’d shoved her books, clothes, and the framed picture of the two of them inside.

Lila stood in the empty doorway of their apartment, numb, as tears streamed down her face. What could she do? There was no way Brian would believe her. Embarrassed and ashamed, Lila had done the only thing she could. She had picked up her things and left.

Chapter Two

Swallowing hard, her voice quivered but was resolute. “I never stopped loving you, Brian, and I would have never done that to you.” Lila’s face shimmered from tears.

Brian was tortured.His own eyes were full of pain and anger. “I don’t regret for one moment that that motherfucker is dead and buried.”

Lila shivered at Brian’s level of rage. She had only ever seen that look once, and it was the day Anthonydisappeared,the day Brian confessed to Lila that Colby had told him the truth. “Look, that part of my life is behind me. I just want to move forward.” Her voice trembled as fresh tears slid down her cheeks.

Brian’s heart tightened as he reached out, gently brushing them away with his thumb, the warmth of his touch soothing yet electric.

“I understand,” he whispered, his own chest tightening. “Just let me prove to you that I won’t make the same mistakes again. I’ll show you, Lila. I’ll show you I’m worth the second chance.” His hands lingered near her face, his fingers tracing the curve of her jaw, a silent promise hanging between them.

Lila’s lips curled into a small, soft smile, though her eyes were still wet. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, Brian.”

His breath caught at Lila’s willingness to forgive him, and his body relaxed for the first time since they started their conversation. “I never felt good enough for you.”

“Not for one second do I believe that,” she said, her voice gentle but firm. Her gaze softened as her fingers nervously played with the edge of her napkin. “I was the scholarship girl. You were the handsome, rich guy that all the girls were chasing.”

Brian leaned forward, eyes locking with hers. “Both then and now, I only had eyes for you. Forget the fact that you were drop-dead gorgeous. You had this wicked mind that I couldn’t stop thinking about.”

Lila glanced away, biting her lip. “Even if I believed that, a lot of good it did me. I’m still figuring out my life. I’m finally finishing up my degree after all these years.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Is that still a secret?”

“Yes,” she replied quickly, her voice a little too sharp as she shifted in her seat. “I don’t want to be that girl who starts a lot of stuff and never finishes.”

He shook his head, his hand resting lightly on the table as he gave her a tender look. “That’s not you. That was more like me up until Daughtry Racing fell into my lap.”

Lila let out a soft laugh, her shoulders relaxing. “That’s definitely not you. It’s amazing what you’re doing for the team.”

“Thanks for that. The team’s unbelievable, but I have to be honest—running Lockwood has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’m barely making it work.”

Lila’s gaze softened as she unconsciously moved to touch his wrist. “You and Colby are so impatient. It’s going to take some time. Everything is going to work out. You’ll see. And I predict wins for the rest of the season.”

At that, Brian gave her a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes for the first time tonight. Before he could respond, the waiter arrived, snapping their attention back to the table.

“Would you like to order dessert?”

Brian studied Lila for a long moment; a lustful glint lit up his features. “I think we’ll pass. I’d rather have dessert at home.”

Brian and Lila almost fell into the bedroom. They were unable to keep their hands off one another. Their need was raw and emotionally charged, fueled by finally putting their past behind them.

Brian lifted Lila as if she weighed nothing, and Lila felt like she was suspended in time. Their lips met urgently as though they had been waiting for this moment forever—as if it was their first time.

The world around them faded into nothingness. Brian cupped her ass and squeezed tight, matching the intensity of their kiss.

Lila tangled her fingers into Brian’s hair as she pressed her thighs together and rolled her hips into Brian’s cock.

He moaned. Quickly, Brian turned them around, pushing Lila’s back against the wall. The bed was only a few feet away but was still too far.

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