Page 64 of Iron Heart

“He was an ex… one I’d like to forget.”

“Let me make myself clear.I don’t share, and if another man gets that close to you again, he’ll spend a long time regretting it, bruised and bloody,” I say, locking eyes with her to make sure my message lands.

She looks up at me, her eyes searching my face, and in that moment, I realize that if jealousy can spark a fire this hot, then what’s brewing between us is an inferno.And I’m more than ready to get burned.

* * *

Back at the beach house, the air between us is thick with unspoken desire and unsaid emotion.We step through the front door, and Victoria turns to me, her eyes searching mine.I close the gap between us, my fingers gently tipping her chin up.

“You’re mine, Victoria,” I murmur, my voice tinged with possessiveness.

“Prove it,” she challenges softly.

With a sense of urgency, I kiss her deeply as I guide her toward the bedroom, her lips parting willingly beneath mine.Once we reach the room, I turn her so her back is against the wall.

“Stay still,” I command, holding her gaze.

I undress her, my hands quickly unbuttoning her blouse with each deliberate movement.And when the fabric falls to the floor, she’s left standing in her bikini top and skirt.I take a step back to admire her.“Mmm, you look incredible like that.”

Without breaking eye contact, I kneel to unzip her skirt, letting it pool around her ankles.Now, she’s only in her swimsuit, her eyes holding a blend of anticipation and trust.

I stand and step closer, my hands moving to unclasp her bikini top.It joins the rest of her clothes, and I lean in to kiss her neck, trailing kisses down to her collarbone, my touch light but sure.I feel her shiver under my lips, and it fuels my growing desire.

I lift her up suddenly, our eyes locking as I carry her to the bed, where I lay her down gently, my body hovering over hers and my hand sliding beneath her bikini bottoms.

“Now,” I say softly, my voice tinged with awe.“Stay very still for me.I’m going to make you feel so damn good.”

22

Victoria

True to his word, Kingsley made me feel so damn good.

Twice.

The room is quiet, but my thoughts are anything but.The clock on the nightstand tells me it’s late—too late for what’s on my mind, maybe.But sleep is a far-off dream right now.

He’s not asleep, either.His hand is warm in mine, yet the connection feels incomplete.Like there’s a bridge we haven’t crossed, a threshold we’re hesitating to step over.I want to talk about it, but every time I try to form the words, they dissolve into a pool of insecurities and doubts.

I gently pull my hand away as if the physical distance will give me the courage to breach the emotional gap between us.My heart pounds in my chest, and I finally find the words.I almost lose them again in the thick air, but they tumble out, soft and shaky.“When you say you’re mine, do you mean that for now or… for the long term?”

I hold my breath.It’s out there now, and all I can do is wait for him to answer.

His silence stretches on, each tick of the clock amplifying the uncertainty that fills the room.I wonder if I’ve pushed too hard, asked too much, as he finally takes a breath to speak.“I like you, Victoria, I really do,” he says, his voice low, like he’s picking each word with care.“But commitment…” He lets his voice trail off.

“Sure, I understand,” I blurt out, but inside, my heart is plummeting.Had I misread every touch, every shared look?

He adds, “I’m just not the guy who can promise forever.I’ve got my own issues, my own scars.I’m a mess, and you deserve better than that.”

I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.If only he knew that his perceived flaws, his ‘damage,’ is part of why I’m drawn to him.But now, hearing him say this, I’m starting to question everything.

Is this just another way for him to push me away?Because he’s scared?Or am I truly the one who’s been seeing this all wrong?

The weight of his admission settles between us.I could push him for more, ask him to face his fears, confront his wounds.But deep down, I know that’s a battle he needs to fight on his own.

His words hang heavy in the air, each one landing like a little weight on my heart.I feel the sting of disappointment and a swell of sadness.I thought we were on the same page, but now it’s clear that we’re reading entirely different stories.

“If you’re too afraid to let someone in because of your past, then maybe we should stop whatever this is.”

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