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“But is he… safe?”
His eyes showed so much worry and love that I lied. “Ryan is safe. You have nothing to worry about.”
We sat in silence as he ate, the tension between us almost tangible. I watched him closely, trying to decipher the feelings that stirred within me.
“You know,” I began, breaking the silence. “You make me break my own rules.”
He looked up, curiosity in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “In this line of work, I can’t afford to open up to anyone. It’s a liability. But you... you’re different.”
He seemed to ponder my words. “Why? What makes me different?”
“I wish I knew,” I replied honestly. “There’s something about you I can’t quite understand. You make me feel... things. Things I’d rather not feel.”
He finished his meal and set the tray aside, his gaze never leaving mine. “Is that why you’re nice to me sometimes? Because of these feelings?”
I nodded. “Partly. But it’s also because of the way you give yourself to me.”
We lapsed into silence again, but this time it was less tense, more contemplative. I moved closer, unable to resist the beauty I saw in him.
“Why did you let this happen?” he asked suddenly. “Why did you let Ryan get in debt to you?”
I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I’m a businessman. Most desperate men who come to me will hang themselves given enough rope. Ryan was no different.”
Michael bit his lip, his eyes searching mine for answers. “You confuse me, Vincent. One moment you’re... almost kind, the next you’re cold and calculating.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Welcome to my world, Michael. It's a constant battle between good and evil.”
He looked down, his fingers tracing the edge of the blanket. “I don’t want to be afraid of you.”
“I don’t want that either,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. “But fear is sometimes necessary. It keeps us alive.”
He looked up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “What do you want from me, then?”
I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. “I want you to trust me. To believe that maybe there’s a part of me that wants to protect you.”
Michael reached out, his hand trembling as it touched mine. “Can you? Protect me, I mean.”
I covered his hand with mine, the warmth of his touch grounding me. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss. It was soft at first, tentative, but quickly deepened as our emotions took over. When we finally pulled apart, our foreheads rested against each other, breaths mingling in the space between us.
“This is dangerous,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
“I know,” he replied, his fingers gently running through my hair. “Guess Ryan isn’t the only one making bad decisions.”
And at this moment, I knew he wasn’t.
Chapter 8
Michael
I couldn’t make sense of my feelings. I’ve known this man for two minutes and he was holding me hostage and enslaving my brother on my account, yet here I was, flirting with the enemy, while Ryan was going through who knew what kinds of dangers.
All my scruples crumbled the moment he kissed me. I’m pretty sure I initiated it with my insinuating questions, but the second I reciprocated, and my hand reached out to him, he leaned forward, grabbing it by my wrist and pinning it over my head as his body spread over mine. “What do you want, Michael?” he asked, brushing my ear with his lips.
A chill ran down my spine as all my senses were suddenly on guard. “I don’t know what I want, Vincent.” I whispered.
