Page 69

Allison clung to him. Gradually, the tension began to leave her body, and her breathing grew steadier.

After they finished showering and changed, Allison sat on the bed in her shorts and sleep top while Silas dried her hair. The gentle hum of the hair dryer filled the room, and she found herself relaxing beneath his careful touch. The anxiety that had gripped her for hours had finally begun to ease.

When her hair was dry, Silas switched off the dryer and placed it on the bedside table. Then he moved closer and gently cupped her face between his hands, tilting her chin upward until she met his gaze.

“How are you feeling now?” he asked, his brow furrowing with concern. “Do you feel sick? Should I call Jackson?”

Allison shook her head and reached for his hands, holding them between hers. She managed a small smile as she looked into his worried eyes.

“I'm fine, Silas. You don't need to call Jackson.”

His thumb brushed softly across her cheek, but the frown never quite left his face. He studied her for another moment before speaking again, his voice quieter now.

“Was Justin the reason you disappeared back then?” His gaze remained fixed on hers.

Allison nodded, her fingers tightening around his hands as she met his gaze. “Yes. Justin was the reason I left.”

She took a breath before continuing, the memories of those painful years returning with unsettling clarity. “After my parents died in the car accident, Shane and I discovered that someone was trying to kill us too. We already suspected Justin because he'd been trying to take our business from us, but we had no proof. So Shane stayed here to look after the company. It was safer for him that way because he didn't have to worry about protecting me as well. I went to Italy and lived in a house my parents had bought years ago.”

Her voice faltered slightly, and she bit her lower lip before looking back at him.

“I knew you’d asked Shane about me countless times. I even thought you might have found me eventually.” She studied his face, a faint smile touching her lips. “I’m glad you never tried to track me down yourself, though. I know you could have if you’d really wanted to.”

Silas leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head.

“I didn't want to upset you or frighten you,” he admitted quietly. “I found out later that you'd lost your parents a few days ago.”

His voice grew heavier, and he lowered his gaze for a moment before looking at her again.

“I regretted telling you that I never wanted to see you again when we spoke on the phone the night you left. Those words haunted me for years, Allison. I should never have said them to you.” His fingers tightened gently around hers. “I promised myself that if I ever saw you again, I would never hurt you with words like that again. I would never make you feel unwanted by me. Not ever again.”

Allison's heart ached at the regret in his voice. She reached for him, and he drew her into his arms before they sank onto the bed together. She lay on her back against the pillows, with Silas beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist as she turned toward him.

“Silas,” she whispered, holding him tightly. “Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for making me believe that I can have happiness in my future too.”

He held her for a moment before gently drawing back. Propped on one elbow beside her, he cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing softly across her skin as he searched her face.

“Tell me you love me.”

Her eyes brightened, and the corners of her lips lifted into a warm smile.

“I love you.”

Something shifted in Silas's expression, his eyes lighting up. He leaned down and kissed her, his lips meeting hers with hunger.

Allison slipped her arms around his neck and drew him closer, kissing him back as he settled beside her. Their lips moved together, the kiss deepening as they held each other, pouring all the love and longing between them into that single, breathless moment.

When they finally drew apart, Silas reached over and switched off the lights.

Allison lay in the pitch-black room, her head resting against the pillow. A moment later, Silas rolled onto his side, his solid chest pressing flush against her back. His heavy arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her backward and pulling her hip tight against his groin. Something thick and hard pressed directly into her bottom, causing her to freeze, her body stiffening as if made of wood. The weight of his bulge pressed insistently against her, and she could feel his hot breath brushing against her neck.

“Go to sleep,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble in the darkness.

His large hand slid down her bare waist, fingers slipping beneath the waistband of her shorts. She bit her lip hard.

His hand moved to her right thigh, where he began to massage the muscles with strong fingers, easing the tension away. But as his strokes grew slower and wider, his palms gliding upward to massage the sensitive crease of her body, his thumb began to draw slow circles over her panties.

The gentle friction sent a wave of heat straight to her core, and she bit down on her own hand to stifle a moan.