Page 57 of The Prom

“I should be thanking you.”

He grins, which is a homecoming of sorts. I love how familiar he is. It’s almost comforting and I ruin the moment by voicing my concerns.

“What happens now?”

A flicker of pain in his eyes causes my heart to drop, and he pulls me closer. “We get the job done.”

He reminds me why we’re here and yet I add, “After the job. What happens then, Drake?”

He sighs and rolls onto his back, reaching for a tissue and wrapping his condom before tossing it into the bin.

“We’ll figure it out, but darlin’–”

His expression is almost fierce as he whispers huskily, “This changes everything between us.”

“It does?” I’m anxious that I may not like what I hear, but I needn’t have worried because he says fiercely, “I’m not walking away from this, Imogen—from you, until you tell me otherwise.”

“Really?” I turn onto my side and gaze into his eyes. “This wasn’t the only time?”

He almost appears angry.

“Is that what you think? That I’m just out for a quick fuck?”

I shrug. “I wouldn’t blame you. I kind of tore your clothes off back there. You didn’t really have a choice.”

He laughs softly. “I like that you know your own mind. I want a strong woman to be by my side, and that position is yours for as long as you want it to be.”

“What are you saying, Drake?”

My eyes widen and he reaches out and runs his finger over my lips and fixes me with a firm, “I wanted this to happen even though it went against my moral code. If you even consider I did that lightly, you’re mistaken. I wanted you, Imogen, from the moment we bumped heads and that hasn’t changed. If anything, my infatuation has grown and now we’re in big trouble.”

“My father?” My heart sinks. “I’ll talk to him.”

“No.”

He shakes his head before saying, “I’lltalk to him.”

Fuck! This won’t go well.

He sighs and appears almost resigned to the coming problems. His voice is sad as he pulls my face to his and grips it between his hands and whispers, “Even if I can’t have you in the light, I will love you in the dark.”

My eyes fill with desperate tears that he wipes away and smiles.

“As Ryder said––”

Wait, what? Ryder is involved in this and my expression must say it all because he chuckles, “We may be warned but when the heart wants something it kind of goes there anyway and after all, why wouldn’t he be happy his girl is with a Reaper?”

“He makes a valid point.”

I breathe a little easier.

“So, we’re a team.”

“You had better believe it.”

“With a mission.”

“With a mission.”

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