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“Yes, Little Flame?”

“You didn’t wear a condom.” There’s an edge of fear in her voice that has an ounce of guilt eating away at me, but I ignore it. I’ve done far worse things in my life than choose not to discuss protection before fucking Ember. I just won’t mentionthat there’s a part of me that hopes she’s not on any birth control and that my seed is taking root as we speak.

I’ve never been interested in kids, if I’m honest, but if it’ll tie Ember to me for the rest of our lives and make it impossible for her to escape me, I don’t hate the idea of a mini us running around.

“No, I didn’t,” I admit. “I’m clean. I was tested a few months ago, and I haven’t been with anyone since.”

She lifts her head, her brow furrowed. “You haven’t been with anyone in months? But you’re…you!”

I chuckle and guide her head back to my chest, needing to feel her pressed against me for a while longer. “I guess I was getting bored with meaningless sex.”

“And that’s not what this is for you?” She whispers the question.

“No, Ember. This is absolutely the opposite of casual for me. This is everything.”

Silence falls around us for long moments as she considers my words, and I tighten my hold on her just to make sure she can’t escape if I’ve been too honest with her. It’s a line I have to walk for now, how much honesty to give her, especially when it comes to my intentions.

“You’re insane.” She shakes her head against my chest. “I have an IUD. It helps regulate my cycle. And I was tested when I was in the hospital after my accident. I’m clean.”

She was a virgin before tonight, so it would have been unlikely that she had anything, but I don’t bother pointing that out.

I brush my fingers down her bare back, reveling in the softness beneath my fingertips.

If I weren’t already going to hell, I sure as hell would be now for tainting the angel in my arms.

CHAPTER FORTY

EMBER

Warmth engulfs me as the sun shining through my bedroom window drags me from the most peaceful sleep I can remember having.

No nightmares.

No restlessness.

No late-night wake-ups.

Just solid sleep in the arms of a man I am to walk away from now the sun has risen.

I look over my shoulder and find Orion wrapped around my back, his arm thrown over my waist while the other is buried beneath my head and the pillow.

Did he sleep like that all night?

I allow myself another few moments to soak up the warmth before carefully extracting myself from Orion’s arms.

First, I head to the bathroom to relieve my screaming bladder before moving into the kitchen for my caffeine fix. There’s no way I’m going to make it through the morning without some coffee, especially considering what I have to do.

Lucas is going to expect payment from Orion, but I’m not going to charge him for what we did last night. No way am I tainting what we shared because my boss is an asshole, but it is another reminder of why I can’t allow things to go any further.

I can’t allow myself to get distracted, not when I have my sights set on getting out from under Lucas’s thumb.

“Hey.” Orion’s sleep-rumpled voice startles me from the doorway, and I turn to look at him. He’s pulled his boxer briefs on, but apart from that, it’s just planes of muscles and tattoos.

Fuck me. Why does he have to look like that?

Part of me was hoping it was the darkness that made him so alluring, but apparently, he looks even better with the sun shining through the apartment.

I swallow heavily and turn back to the coffee machine. “You want coffee?” I inject as much disinterest into the words as I can. This is what I do for a living. I take on personas. I make people believe I’m something I’m not. So why does it feel so hard this time?