Page 54 of Of Oaths and Secrets

“It’s… nothing, really,” she says quietly, her voice more fragile than before. “Other people handle this just fine. It’s not life or death.”

“You’re not other people. You’reyou.” My voice softens, but the frustration remains. "And it’s not nothing—it’s Columbia."

Her shoulders drop as a strange relief washes over her face. For a second, I regret bringing it up at all. She’s hiding something else, something deeper, and it’s there between us, just out of reach.

“Columbia?” she echoes, almost like she’s trying to make sense of the word.

I narrow my eyes. "Is there something else?"

“No,” she says quickly, shaking her head. But as she moves, the robe shifts, gaping just enough to reveal the curve of her breast, the pale skin beneath.

My cock twitches again, hardening further, and I feel the familiar confusion creeping in. How am I losing control like this? Why does it have to happen now? It’s never been like this before. I’ve never felt like this before.

I fight to keep my breathing steady, every nerve in my body hyperaware of her presence. I shouldn’t be thinking about her this way, not now, not ever… should I?

I take a step closer but stop myself. This is uncharted territory, and I’m drowning in it.

Her gaze lifts to mine, and for a split second, I see a reflection of something I recognize—uncertainty, maybe even fear. But there’s something else too… curiosity? Want?

And it makes me wonder, maybe for the first time, if I’m not the only one fighting this.

“How did you find out?” she asks, breaking the tension for a moment.

“Does it matter?” I snap, grateful for the distraction but still too aware of her standing there, the space between us charged with an undeniable pull.

“Well, what is there to discuss?” She shrugs, and as she moves, her robe opens just a little more, revealing the soft swell of her breast. “I’m married now. It’s a moot point.”

Dusty pink…The thought takes me by surprise, but now I know the color of her nipples. My cock twitches again, and I know I should tell her to cover herself and should turn this conversation back to where it started, but I can’t. The image of my mouth on her, tasting her skin, overtakes me. I know that tonight, I’ll be alone with these thoughts, reliving this moment.

I clear my throat and take a step back, desperate to block out the view, to stop this spiral of need that I’m not ready for.

“Do you want to do it?” My voice comes out rough, betraying the desire I’m barely holding back.

“Does it m?—”

“Do you want to do it?” I insist, cutting her off. I need her to focus on this, not on whatever tension is twisting between us right now.

She sighs, her frustration clear. “If I say yes, can I go? Would it even be practical?”

“Well, going all the way to the city for your classes and arranging your security will make it difficult.”

“See, what’s the p?—”

“But,” I cut her off again, holding her gaze, “if you ask the right questions, you’ll find out you can actually do the course remotely.” I don’t tell her about the extortionate donation that made this possible, and I definitely don’t mention how far I’m willing to go for her. “You’d only need to go for exams, which I’m more than happy to help accommodate.”

Her eyes widen, surprised by the revelation, and for a moment, the tension between us shifts—turning into something raw, something charged with both understanding and heat.

“You need to stop seeing me as the monster in your life, Nora,” I say, my voice low, gravelly, as the desire I’m fighting keeps inching closer to the surface. “I’ve told you time and time again—if you want or need something, you come and talk to me. I can’t read your mind.” Thank God she can’t read mine right now because the things circling in my head are far too lewd for this moment. “I know what I am. I own that, and frankly, I’m proud of it. But I’ve never shown you anything other than respect. So, do you want to do it?”

“Yes. Of course I do.” Her words come out in a rush.

“Good,” I say, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. “Thank God for that because I enrolled you this morning.”

Her smile, that same radiant smile she gave me when I brought her Fate, breaks across her face, and for a second, it’s everything. That smile could make any man, including myself, fall to his knees. And then, suddenly, she throws herself at me.

But this time, I don’t hesitate. I catch her, my arms wrapping around her tightly as I lift her, her legs instinctively curling around my waist. The instant press of her body against mine makes it impossible to hide how much I want her. My cock hardens even more, and I know she can feel it.

Before I can think, her lips crush against mine. The kiss is wild, desperate, our breaths mingling as we’re consumed by the intensity between us. This hunger has been simmering for far too long, and now it’s spilling over, burning us both.

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