Page 87 of Hearts and Hidden Secrets

CARSON

I woke, stretched, and froze.

My hand hit a body next to me. Then I felt the satin, and reality sank in.

I wasn’t home. Where was… Jonah . Kidnapping .

I was tired, really tired, but also alarmed. I opened my eyes, knowing I needed to deal with reality, but not wanting to in any way, shape, or form.

Still.

I looked over and found Jonah watching me. He was sitting up, his back against the backboard, the sheet pooling at his waistline. Those delicious washboard abs looked even more defined than last night.

Was that a thing? Could muscles get more defined from sleep?

And I was stalling. Again.

“Morning.”

My own morning breath hit me, and I wrinkled my nose, pulling the sheet over my face. “Sorry. Bad breath.”

“Your breath is fine, but go wash up. We have things to talk about when you’re done.”

I froze. “Talk about what?”

He motioned to the bathroom. “Do that first.”

Slipping out of bed, I passed him to the bathroom. I felt his gaze, but when I snuck a look, he wasn’t watching me. His eyes were deadlocked on the bed, his jaw clenched.

What was that about?

He was standing when I came back out with my teeth freshly cleaned, which was exciting. He’d pulled on a white T-shirt with his sweats. Bummer. Yeah...something was wrong with me.

“Maybe sit for this?” he said.

Dread spiked my pulse, but I did as he said. I crawled back to my spot on the bed, sat back, and pulled a pillow over my lap. “What’s going on?”

His eyes flared before they grew hooded. “Good news: you’re in the clear. Everything checks out, so it looks like you being at Bresko’s actually was a coincidence. For that, I apologize.”

My gut shriveled. If that was the good news… I gulped. “What’s the bad news?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“You don’t know who my family is?—”

I jumped up, shaking my head. Panic spread over my entire body.

I wasn’t scared with Jonah. That was the truth—that’s why I had different reactions, kept feeling attracted to him. But his brother, the other guy from the morgue? I was terrified of those guys.

I held my hands up. “I don’t want to know.”

Jonah took a breath, looking down. “We kidnapped you. That’s a felony, and if you go to the polic?—”

I shook my head, because no, no, no. That was not happening. “I remember the guns,” I said, my voice a whisper.

Jonah started around the end of the bed toward me, his head still down.

I took a breath, flattening my hand against my stomach. It was rumbling all over the place. “I don’t know what your family does, but I’m not dumb.” I tipped my head up.

He moved even closer.

“Jonah.” My voice was wobbly. He had to know I wouldn’t say anything, do anything. “It was very obvious that your family is wealthy—like, the type I didn’t even know existed. All the guards? That’s scary. Whatever your family does, I don’t want to know. I don’t need to know. I won’t say anything.”

He was in my space, but his eyes were soft. “It’s not that simple.”

It had to be. Panic was branding me from the inside out. I had to convince him of this.

Would they kill me?

No, this is Jonah.

My God. Why did I have blinders with this guy?

Jonah closed in, but he didn’t touch me. He stayed just out of touching distance, but he watched me, and I was flipping the fuck out.

I blinked away tears. “What are you going to do to me?”

He stared long and hard, as if looking inside of me. Then he reached up, his hand cupping the side of my face. “I remembered you, too, after that night. You showed me kindness when no one should’ve been doing that. You did. That meant something to me.”

I closed my eyes, wanting him to close the distance and wanting him to step away at the same time. Fear and desire pumped through my blood, heating me up. “Are you going to kill me?”

His hand flexed against my cheek.

I opened my eyes, finding his gaze on my lips.

Oh man . What was he thinking?

“Jonah,” I whispered.

His eyes flickered, coming back into focus.

“What are yo?—”

“No.” That’s all he said before he lowered his head, and his mouth touched mine.

I gasped, grasping his wrist.

He pulled back. Lust had darkened his eyes, but he was holding, waiting.

He was waiting for me.

My heart thumped against my chest. I knew what I wanted.

Need flooded me. The ache inside me spread outward.

I started without fully admitting to myself what I was going to do. I moved closer, my lips searching for his, and after another second’s hesitation, I let go of his wrist. I grabbed his shirt and raised up on my toes.

I found him this time, and all the hesitation was over.