Page 9 of Invisible Scars
She groans. “Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t I train with Milly?”
Cold creeps into my chest, the muscles in my jaw tensing.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Milly doesn’t get to decide if you’re good enough.”
“Oh, and you do?” Effie stands defiantly, her chair rolling back a few inches.
The energy around us changes, crackling with tension instead of lighthearted humor. I feel it flowing through my nervous system, flaring up every cell of my body.
“No onebut me.”
“Is that so?” Effie raises an eyebrow, her glare both hot and cold, and I step into her space.
“It is one hundred percent so,” I say with a low voice, catching her dimpled chin and forcing her fickle gaze to meet mine. “You aremineto protect, Doll.”
“And what, exactly, makes me yours?” she asks, her lips slightly parted as she holds my gaze.
The electricity between us sparks, the heat rising as our bodies gravitate toward each other. Suddenly, the room feels too small, the air too thick. My jaw ticks, and I fight to keep my breathing leveled, but my thoughts run wild with all the ways I would make her mine if I ever gave myself permission.
“Half past noon sharp, Effie,” I warn her. “I’ll be at the gym waiting.”
My thumb drags down Effie’s chin before I drop my hand, doing my damn best to ignore the flush on her chest and neck. Before she can say anything that’ll make me lose myself and cross a line, I turn and leave.
As I walk away, I feel her gaze burning into the back of my head, but I refuse to turn around. I need to maintain control and keep my emotions in check. Effie has a way of unraveling me, of stirring something deep within that I’ve spent years burying.
She does it too easily, makes me forget I’m not supposed to want anything from this miserable life. I can’t keep my hands to myself or my fantasies in the distant corners of my mind when she’s around.
I make my way back to my office, ignoring Diva’s questioning gaze. Conflicting thoughts consume my mind. My conviction that I should remain detached is strong, but there’s something about Effie I can’t resist. It’s a dangerous game we’re playing, and I can’t afford to let it consume me.
I close the door to my office and sit in my chair, back rigid and all my muscles tense. I try to push aside the desires that gnaw at me, focusing instead on my work, but a heaviness settles in my chest. My job is to protect her, nothing more. It’s the only way to keep her safe.
It’s a bittersweet moment, knowing that this is all I can ever give and that my inability to let her in leaves our connection teetering on a precipice. But until the Harlow situation is resolved, we have no choice but to continue dancing on the edge, toeing the line between desire and self-restraint.
But after all is said and done, I’ll do whatever it takes to cut the tether between Effie and me.
* * *
EFFIE
At 12:30 PM sharp, I enter the gym, my steps purposeful and determined. Part of me wants to skip the training session just to challenge Jonah’s authority, but I know he’s right. I signed up for a lifetime of potential danger when I joined Peak Securities, and I need to be able to defend myself.
Jonah stares at me as I place my phone on a bench, and we exchange a brief nod.
We begin our warm-up routine, the intensity gradually increasing with each passing minute. There’s no one else in the gym today and being alone with Jonah both excites and terrifies me.
“To the mat,” Jonah says, his back to me as he walks to the sparring area.
I follow him and place myself in front of him, getting in the proper stance. “What are we doing today?”
“Simulations.”
