Page 148 of With Us

Confusion pulled me in a million different directions. My head swam, my stomach turned, and my heart ached. I felt like I was supposed to run away, never looking back. But a sick, twisted part of me wanted to claw at him. Rip his clothes from his body, and use my nails and teeth to mark him. I wanted to take out my anger until he was fucking me against the wall so hard I couldn’t think.

“I have to go. Do what you’ve always done, and send someone to follow me.” I moved again, only to find my back pressed tight against the wall, his large body keeping me in place.

His hand gripped my chin tenderly, his gaze travelling my face.

In all our time together, I’d known only a small part of Theo. He’d kept a major part of, not just his job, but himself, well-hidden. As I looked into his eyes, I could almost see the fire that burned inside him. Beckoning me and drawing me deeper into the flames.

It scared me, but not for the reason it should have.

“I have to go,” I said again, needing space to find my sanity.

A shiver rippled through me as his hand slid up my neck to tilt my jaw. Hard and bruising, his mouth crashed down on mine. He ground against me, trying to get closer somehow.

My tongue dueled with his, fighting for control. I bit at his bottom lip. Tugging his hair and scratching down his back, I lost my head for a moment.

Lies.

It’s all built on lies.

Like a bucket of ice water, my thoughts brought me back to reality. I jerked my head back, ignoring the pain when it slammed against the wall.

I stared to the side. “Please move.”

His hand captured my jaw again so I’d meet his eyes. The fire in them burned deep, and in a way, I felt as though I was meeting him for the first time.

“I love you so fucking much, gattina,” he said, low and rough. “Addicted and obsessed, I’d give up everything else. But never you.”

When he dropped his hands and grudgingly stepped away, my body instinctively moved away from the wall to be close to him.

I’m so messed up.

Holding tight to my anger, I practically sprinted through the foyer and out the door, grabbing my purse as I went. I hopped into my Rover, and backed out of the driveway. Within thirty seconds, I could see Theo’s car in my rearview mirror. It was replaced a few minutes later by Luc in his own car. I could no longer see Theo, but I was willing to bet he was somewhere close.

I drove for a while, lost in my thoughts and growing more confused by the mile. Pressing the phone command on the steering wheel, I called the only person I felt I could talk to.

“Hello?” Julie said on the second ring.

“It’s Dahlia. Are you working?” Julie worked from home doing graphic designs for businesses.

“Just getting ahead, but I’ve got plenty of time until my deadline. What’s up?”

“I… Can…” The tears I’d been holding back started, blurring my vision and stealing my ability to speak.

“Do you remember how to get to my place?”

I made a noise to mean yes, though it came out as more of a hiccupping grunt.

“Come right over.

“Mmhhmm.”

“Drive careful. I’ll see you soon.”

I got control of myself as best as I could during the short drive. It was all for nothing because as soon as Julie opened the door and pulled me into a hug, my tears started again.

“Come in,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know where else to go.”

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