Page 47 of Maddox

We stared at each other.

The heat became oppressive.

Desire tingling every nerve ending.

Lust filled his eyes, just as had occurred inside the damp cave.

“You’re wrong about something else,” he offered.

“What’s that?”

“A lot of people would miss you if you were gone. Don’t spiral into the darkness, Charmaine. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about. Once the darkness takes hold, there will be nothing left. The vortex will drain what’s left of your soul, keeping you locked away in a prison with no possibility of escape. I don’t want that for you. Not for anyone. Live. The gift you’ve been offered from the gods is to choose life. You won’t get another chance.”

The words were so unexpected, so full of emotion that I was overwhelmed. And something inside me stirred, a feeling I’d lost a long time ago and one I was intent on never feeling again.

The longing to feel alive in every way, to breathe in the revelry of passion. The very sensations I’d felt the night before.

I pressed my hand against his chest, staring up at him. When he lowered his head, another wave of delicious tingles swept through me.

“This isn’t a good idea,” he said.

“I know, but I want to feel alive again, Maddox. If only for a little while. I need a reason.”

His breath was labored and his eyes had turned glassy.

As he debated, I loosened the hold on the towel.

And allowed it to fall to the floor.

CHAPTER 14

Maddox

Nothing good would come of this.

There was no doubt in my mind, no need to second guess myself.

By allowing another taste, another touch, I was throwing away every promise I’d made to myself.

I was also placing her life in jeopardy.

The night before I’d thought an anomaly, but with the intensity of the vibrations shared between us, I knew better.

She should have realized by now I was a broken man, enough so the thought of allowing me into her life should terrify her.

But she wasn’t.

She couldn’t care less about my past or my misdeeds.

Or the darkness festering inside of me, keeping me locked in agonizing chains. She thought she could handle what I had tooffer. She believed she could fight the demons if only for one night.

What if she was wrong?

All she wanted was to create acts of sin together.

As the towel slipped to the floor, I found myself holding my breath.

“Charmaine. You don’t want this.” I gazed down to her feet and felt my entire body tighten. If I had any decency left inside of me, I’d grab the towel, toss it in her direction, and walk out of the room.

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