Page 60 of Entwined

Christos tugs my hand. “Let’s go. Leave them. It’s what she wants.” He turns to the man. “Make sure she arrives home safely, in one piece by nine a.m., Grantham. Or there will be hell to pay.”

“I’d expect nothing less fromEl Diablo.” He smirks, unfazed by Christos’ threat.

No one tries to stop us as we walk out. Christos growls at anyone who even glances at me as he leads me to a back elevator and out to his car.

“How did you know I’d be here tonight?”

He slides into the back seat next to me, “I had you followed. I knew it was you watching me at the cotillion.”

“You did?”

“I’d know the curve of your neck anywhere Jessie. Afterall, I’ve kissed it a thousand times.”

“Who is that woman to you?”

“Nicole? A friend…an employee… nothing more.”

I raise my eyebrow not believing that’s all. “The two of you seemed very close.”

“We are. But not in the way you’re implying.”

“Why did you leave me?”

“Why didn’t you report me?” He fires back. “I deserved it.”

“You know I’d never.” I whisper, reaching for his hand. I move to straddle him. Twining my fingers in his hair, I gaze into my beloved’s handsome face. My head lowers, my lips thirsting for his.

He grabs either side of my face with is hands holding me still. “Did you tell anyone?”

“No. Never.”

He closes his eyes. “I did. Alex and Helena know everything. So, does my therapist. It was wrong Jessie. This is wrong.”

“Then why do we feel so right?”

He inhales sharply not answering. “I tried. I swear I did. I wanted to be the good guy for you. The truth is I’m bored. I need something to fight. An outlet for all my dark emotions to rage against.”

I sit back, pondering his words. “Is it all a publicity stunt then? Rebuilding the world? Healing the sick, building villages for the poor?”

“No. I really did all that. It was atonement. But I need more Jessie. I need more.”

“You can have more. You can have me.”

He covers my hands with his, entwining our fingers. “I still see a future with you. I always did. But what I want more is for you to continue going to school, making friends, going to balls… it’s not time yet.”

“Stop treating me like I don’t know my own heart or my own mind. I can do both. Just come back to England. I’m living there now… I’m studying at King’s College. You can work from London… this could work. Come back, please, for me. For us?”

He shakes his head. “I can’t. I have more work to do. Just like you do.”

The car stops along the front gates of Jecca’s family home. “Dark star,” I whisper, not wanting to exit his car as the driver gets out and opens my door.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath. “Change of plans. We’ll go back to my hotel.” The driver nods as she shuts my door and walks back to the driver’s side, climbing back in.

I freeze not daring to look at him. I’m desperate for the days when he couldn’t let me go. Now it seems all he wants is to unload me.

“You had to say the words?”

“They fell from my lips when I woke up alone on Boxing Day. But you weren’t there to hear them.”

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