Page 87 of The Sunken Truth

The look he gave her made her chest squeeze. “Please,” he said. “I want to go.”

“You’re a pathetic excuse for a man,” Lily shouted at the superintendent before letting Flynn lead her outside. Anger pulsed through her veins as she stood out on the road. “We shouldn’t have left because of him.”

“I told you he’s not worth it.” Flynn walked a little way along the road, then stopped and sank onto the curb, resting his head in his hands.

The sight of him so defeated tore at Lily’s heart.

“Why won’t you stand up to him?” she asked.

“Because it won’t make any difference.”

“Maybe not, but…” She trailed off as his gaze whipped to her.

“But you think I’m pathetic for not standing up to him?” he snapped.

“No,” she whispered.

“It’s fine.” He shrugged. “I think it’s pathetic, so I’m not about to argue with you.”

She sank beside him and trailed her hand through his hair before leaving her fingers resting at the back of his neck. “I don’t think that,” she murmured. “I would never think that.”

Tilting his head, he leaned into her hand.

Their eyes locked as his hand came up to cup her cheek, and his breath swept over her lips before he kissed her.

They weren’t supposed to be doing this.

She tightened her grip on his neck and kissed him hungrily.

He was leaving so they could only be friends.That’s what they’d agreed.

Kissing him felt too good though, and it suddenly seemed ridiculous that they were only friends.

“Flynn,” she whispered against his lips, forcing her eyes open. “What are we doing?”

“Kissing,” he said, his lips curving to a smile even as he kissed her again.

“I realise that,” she laughed. “But we said…”

He pulled back slightly and pushed her hair from her face. “I just got so sick of not kissing you,” he said. “And I keep thinking about what you said about your uncle and Maria.” He shook his head. “I don’t want us to end up like that.”

“I don’t either.”

“I’ll probably have to move back to London in a few weeks,” he said. “But we can figure something out – have a long-distance relationship for a while until I figure out a way to get back here. I don’t know how it will work, but I want to try.”

Since she couldn’t manage words, Lily just nodded and kissed him again.

When she pulled back, she trailed her fingers over the back of his neck. “I promise I don’t think you’re pathetic for not standing up to the superintendent. He’s the pathetic one, not you.”

A small smile tugged at Flynn’s lips. “I believe you mentioned that in front of the entire pub.”

“I may have let my mouth run away a bit,” she admitted sheepishly.

Flynn laughed. “You called him apathetic excuse for a man.”

“I think it was an accurate description,” she said, feeling no remorse over it.

Glancing at the pub, Flynn’s smile faded quickly and he drew in a deep breath. “Maybe that’s where I get it from,” he said quietly.