Page 142 of Beneath the Burn

“I quit that night.”

Quit? Quit what? His chest rose and fell steadily beneath her. She waited.

“I quit smoking. Drugs. Booze. Sex. I wanted to be clean and worthy of you.”

Her heart soared. Drug free and celibate? For her? Oh, what a soothing balm for her jealousy.

“I was a reformed man for two months. Then I flew to St. Louis to see you…”

And she was in the penthouse, grieving Noah and clawing at her chain.

“I only made it two weeks after that. Two weeks.” His tone was low and thick with regret.

“You thought I was dead. And never mind that. You owed me nothing. I was just a girl in a one-hour blip on your way to a successful life.”

“No, Charlee. I was just a boy who was too low to find success. And too high to care. One hour with you showed me how to succeed.”

The rumble of faraway planes passed above. Water splashed in the pool around the corner. She snuggled into him, no longer needing the nostalgia of tobacco, no longer waiting. She suddenly wanted to wash away the nicotine lingering in her mouth. “I’m going to go get something to drink.” She lifted off him and moved toward the corner where the pool deck lay beyond. “Want anything?”

“Not dressed like that, you’re not.”

His t-shirt reached her thighs. Seriously?

“I’ll go.” He rose and stretched that fine muscular frame. “Share a bottle of Merlot with me?”

“Mmm. Yes, please.”

He scanned the pitch black acreage, probing the perimeter hidden by the night. There must’ve been half a dozen guards out there, strolling the grounds. If she couldn’t be left alone in his supermax fortress, she couldn’t be alone anywhere.

His gaze strolled over the roof’s edge, pausing above the door, the windows, and the corners of the wing. Cameras. Probably dozens of them.

The corner of his mouth curved in a half-smile. Shaking his head, he disappeared around the corner, his black shirt and jeans reflecting a silver glow in the moonlight.

“I love you.” She marveled at how good that felt on her lips and wished she would’ve said it before he left.

In the next breath, he was there, hands on her face, kissing her until it was just him and her and the relief of her words. He laid a wet one on her lips, his smile somersaulting through her. “I love you, too. Be right back.”

She settled into the lounger, grinning like a girl. She sighed. A girl floating in a dream.

Punk Rock Girlblared from her phone. The vibration bounced it on the side table, startling her.

Unknown Caller.Weird. She tappedDeclineand stared at it.

The guitar beats kicked off again.Unknown Caller.Jay? Maybe it was a celebrity thing to block the number. The obsessive fool never called her because he never left her side. Of course, he was calling her now. She pressedAccept. “Hello?”

“Ignore my call again and you won’t like the outcome.”

His voice stripped away the deterring fence line, the patrolling guards, and the security of surveillance cameras.Yes, Sirshot to her throat and stuck there, along with a barrage of violent objections.

“Walk to the northeast corner of the veranda where I can see you better.”

A chill snaked through her body. Was he nearby? Had he planted cameras? Darkness strangled her heart, raising goose pimples down her spine.

Fuck him. He couldn’t hurt her. She was safe here.

“Don’t make me wait, beautiful girl.”

Where was northeast? The urgency to find Jay powered her to stand. She moved toward the corner of the wing, remaining in the line of shadows and placing the pool area in view. The surface of the water was still, the patio vacant of life. The living room and kitchen beyond were equally empty. Jay must’ve gone to the wine cellar. Where was Nathan? Her stomach rolled. He didn’t guard her when she was in Jay’s wing.

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