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I capture his mouth in one last, desperate kiss, pouring every ounce of love and longing into the press of my lips, the glide of my tongue. And then I'm wrenching myself away, my soul screaming in silent agony as I turn and walk out of the diner.
Out of the warmth, the light, the sweetness of everything Asher is. Everything I'll never be.
I don't look at Declan as I brush past him, my shoulders rigid with the effort of holding myself together. But I can feel his smirk, his vicious satisfaction, like a knife between my ribs.
"There's my boy," he says, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "I knew you'd come to your senses."
I don't answer. I can't. If I open my mouth, I'm afraid I'll start screaming and never stop.
So I let him steer me out into the cold, empty night, the taste of Asher still sweet on my tongue, the ghost of his touch seared into my skin.
And with every step I take away from the only light I've ever known, I feel myself fading. Turning to stone and shadow.
CHAPTER 4
ASHER
The note feels like a lead weight in my pocket as I go through the motions of my day, my smile strained and my mind a million miles away. Every time the bell over the door jingles, my heart leaps into my throat, half-expecting to see Liam's tall, brooding form filling the doorway.
But he doesn't come. Not that morning, not that afternoon, not even as the dinner rush fades into the sleepy lull of night. Part of me is relieved, knowing that distance is the only way to keep him safe from whatever threat lurks in the shadows.
But a larger, more insistent part aches with a longing so keen it steals my breath. I can still feel the press of his lips against mine, the rasp of his stubble, the heat of his hands branding my skin. It's like a fever under my flesh, a hunger that gnaws at my bones.
I'm wiping down the counter for the third time, my movements mechanical and distracted, when the bell chimes again. I glance up, my customer-service smile already pasted on, and freeze.
Liam stands in the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame, his eyes blazing with a heat that scorches me from across the room. He looks like hell, his jaw dark with stubble, his clothes rumpled and his hair a tousled mess. But God, he's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
"We need to talk," he says without preamble, his voice a low, gravelly rasp that shivers down my spine.
I swallow hard, my fingers clenching on the damp rag. "I'm working, Liam. Can it wait?"
His jaw tightens, a muscle flickering beneath the tanned skin. "No. It can't."
He strides toward me, his movements fluid and purposeful, and God, I can't help the way my body responds, the kick of my pulse, the hitch of my breath. He leans against the counter, his face inches from mine, his eyes boring into me with an intensity that makes my knees weak.
"You've been avoiding me," he says, his voice low and rough. "I want to know why."
I look away, my throat tight. "I haven't been avoiding you. I've just been busy."
"Bullshit." His hand comes up, fingers grazing my jaw, tilting my face back to his. The touch sends a jolt of electricity through me, my skin prickling with goosebumps. "Something's wrong. Tell me."
I close my eyes, battling the urge to lean into his touch, to spill every fear, every desperate longing. But I can't. I won't put him in danger, no matter how much it hurts.
"Liam, please," I whisper, my voice cracking. "Just let it go. We can't do this."
His fingers tighten on my jaw, anger and confusion warring in his gaze. "Can't do what? Can't admit that there's something between us? Can't take a fucking chance on something real?"
My eyes fly open, my heart pounding. "You think this is real? Liam, you're a gangster. A thug. And I'm just a diner owner trying to survive. We're from different worlds."
He flinches like I've slapped him, hurt flashing quick and bright in his eyes. But it's gone in an instant, replaced by a hardness that chills me to the bone.
"You're right," he says, his voice flat and cold. "I'm just a thug. A monster who takes what he wants, consequences be damned."
And then he's hauling me across the counter, his mouth crashing down on mine in a kiss that's pure, unadulterated possession. I gasp, my hands flying up to grip his shoulders, my body responding with a swiftness that steals my breath.
He kisses like he fights, with a ferocity that borders on violence, his tongue delving deep, his teeth nipping at my lips. I moan into his mouth, my fingers digging into the hard muscle of his back, heat pooling thick and heavy in my groin.
He breaks the kiss with a growl, his hands fisting in my hair, his eyes boring into mine with a hunger that makes me tremble. "Still think this isn't real, sunshine?" he rasps, his breath hot against my lips.
