Page 67 of Every Silent Lie

I am falling for him too.

I want him to make love to me, not fuck me. I want him to hug me, kiss me, talk to me, listen, give me those smiles on repeat. It’s lightened up my world, offered a reprieve in my tragedy-filled existence.

I can’t hope for him to be my cure, I know I will never be completely cured, but I can hope he eases my heartache and gives me something to live for.

I swallow, what I’m about to say feeling so monumental.

Because it is.

“I’m falling for you too,” I say. “I’ve been falling for you since the moment you caught me on the pavement and walked me home.”

His answer is a suppressed, satisfied groan, as he lifts me and seals our lips.

Seals the deal.

We’re falling.

Together.

I get utterly lost in his worshipful kiss. “Do you trust yourself?” he murmurs around my mouth, sweeping his tongue through, delaying my answer.

“No,” I admit, halting our kiss in its tracks. “But I trust you.”

He nods, setting me on my feet and framing my face with both hands, pushing his mouth onto my forehead. “Time to go.”

I’m led out of the ladies’ back into the bar. Dec finds my coat and holds it open, helping me into it before getting his own on as I switch my heels for my boots. He grabs my bag, then the jumper off the bar and chucks it to Julio. “Merry Christmas.” Two twenties follow the jumper. “It was nice knowing you.”

Translated: you won’t see us again.

I look back over my shoulder as I’m being pulled from the bar, hearing Julio laughing behind the jumper. “Nice knowing you,” I say quietly, throwing him a smile when his face appears.

He mouths something to me, tapping his chest as he does.

Be brave.

My God, am I that transparent?

I nod, repeating the mantra over and over as Dec walks us through the lobby and past reception. “Where are we going?”

“You think I’m taking you to a hotel room, Camryn?” he says, not stopping.

“Wait, we’re going to your house?”

“Yes, we’re going to my house.” He looks back as he pushes round the revolving door, making sure I get in the same section as him. “Problem?”

“This suddenly feels very serious,” I murmur, and Dec laughs, the same, soulful laugh he laughed earlier over the jumper. I smile at the back of his head.

“In you get.” He pulls open the back door of the grey Defender, and I take a deep breath, getting in.

“Evening,” the driver says, the same guy I saw outside Dec’s office.

“Evening.” I settle in my seat, Dec climbing in after me, and watch as he taps at the screen of his phone.

“Home, please, Ron.”

“Sure thing, boss.” He flicks his eyes to me in the rearview mirror, and though I can’t see his face, I know he’s smiling. I look away, down to my hand when Dec takes it, still focused on his phone. It’s an unconscious move. Natural.

“I’ve just got to take care of a few things before I turn off my notifications.”