Page 43 of Finally Found You

As soon as I’m close to her, I feel like a compass needle drawn to the magnetic north. Lowering my head,I claim her lips in a searing kiss, stealing her breath as I share my own. The need for her is overwhelming. It swells within me like a tidal wave.

My desire for her is a dangerous force threatening to consume me. But I willingly surrender. I’m unable to let her go. I’m unsure if she’s attempting to possess me, or if I’m the one trying to claim her. Either way, this kiss is binding us together.

A throaty moan slips past her lips, a tantalizing whisper of a promise I want to decipher.

Our lips meld together. It’s a dance of unspoken desires and raw emotions. Her taste is intoxicating, a sweet elixir that lures me deeper into her embrace. My hands skim the soft curves of her body, aching to undress her and explore every hidden inch, to learn the secrets of her pleasure and make her scream my name in ecstasy.

Cami responds to my touch, her fingers tangling in my hair, urging me closer to her, wanting us to become one.

As the intensity of our kiss builds, we become lost in one another. The world around us dissolves into nothingness, leaving only the two of us entwined in passion. Our breaths meld into a symphony of gasps and sighs, fueling the inferno that engulfs us both. We begin to unravel, the threads of our restraint fraying with each pounding beat of our entangled hearts.

But suddenly, as if struck by a bolt of clarity, Camilla pulls away, her chest heaving as she gasps for air. A kaleidoscope of emotions flits across her face—confusion, fear, and a vulnerability that sears my soul.

“I… I can’t,” she stammers, her voice barely a whisper. “We can’t do this, Lysander. We have too much to lose.”

Her words strike me like a cold wind, chilling the heat that consumed us moments ago. Reluctantly, I release her from my embrace, the loss of her warmth leaving a hollow void in my chest. The harsh reality of our situation settles heavily upon my shoulders, and I can’t help but wonder if we’ll ever be able to navigate the labyrinth of our emotions and find each other.

“Finn’s waiting for you,” she says, attempting to regain her composure, though her breaths still come in ragged gasps. “He said he would text you the address of where you should meet.”

I check my phone, and there it is—the text from Finn. See you in fifteen minutes. Don’t be late.

“Are you okay?” I ask, my eyes scanning her from head to toe, searching for any lingering distress. “You didn’t sound okay while we were on the phone.”

“Yeah, it was just the fear of knowing someone was in the house,” she says, offering me a reassuring smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I heard what Elsie told you about your mother and your father,” I say, unconvinced that she’s truly fine.

With a dismissive wave of her hand, she tries to brush it off. “It would’ve been nice to learn who my father was.” A tinge of sadness colors her smile, and my heart aches. “He died, too—unless she’s lying and tried to hurt me that way.”

“I didn’t like how she treated you. Has she always been like that?” I ask, my voice laced with concern.

She presses her lips together, twisting them from left to right in contemplation. “I guess so, but Nonna always told me to let it go. She would say, ‘Elsie misses your mom. That’s why she’s saying nonsense.’”

My phone buzzes again, Finn’s reminder urging me to meet him ASAP. But the intensity of our shared moment still lingers between us. I don’t want to leave her.

“I have to go,” I say hesitantly.

“Where is Kenzy?” Her brow furrows.

“At Fern’s, helping with the twins.”

“I’ll go and visit, see if she can use my help too,” she says with determination.

“Fern will appreciate it, and I’m sure Kenzy will be happy to see you.” I offer her a weak smile, then turn to leave before I’m tempted to pull her into another searing kiss—or worse, give in to the vortex of desire threatening to sweep us both away, press her against the door, and fuck her as we lose ourselves in each other.

That would be the best mistake I could make in my entire life, but I refuse to be that stupid. So I leave.

* * *

The conference room Finn manages to rent is located in a building on bustling Market Street. To my surprise, he’s not alone. Derek Farrow—his husband and Benedict’s brother—is present, along with a woman whose face seems vaguely familiar. It’s not their wife, though. I’ve met Piper a couple of times.

“Lysander,” she says, her lips curving into a wide smile. “It’s good to see you again.”

It takes a moment for me to place her, and when I do, my confusion regarding Kenzy only deepens. Stunned, I manage to say, “Elsie?”

“You don’t remember me. Such a shame. We had an unforgettable night,” she dares to say, her words laced with insinuation. “We even made a child.”

Finn pats my shoulder, his expression sympathetic. “We’ll be outside if you need anything.”

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