Page 20 of Forbidden Love

He reaches out and touches my cheek. “You need someone who can take care of you. That’s me.”

Did he even hear me? I don’t want his comfort, not now. I need space to think, and his presence here is confusing me.

Stepping back, I straighten my shirt. “I appreciate you always being there for me, but I need to be alone right now.”

He steps closer and his large hands come up to rest on my shoulders. “Come on, Maya, sweetheart.”

His touch is wrong and invasive.

I step back, but his grip tightens. “Cameron, let go.”

He leans in and his proximity suffocates me. “I’m trying to help because I care.”

“I said let go.”

But he doesn’t. Instead, his hands slide down my arms.

Adrenaline shoots through my veins. I struggle to break free, but his grip tightens. “Cameron, stop it.”

Before I can push him away, the door behind him swings open with a force that sends it slamming against the wall.

Devin strides in, his movements blazing with fury as he takes in the scene. In one swift motion, he grabs Cameron by the neck and pushes him away from me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Cameron barely has time to react before Devin’s fist connects with his jaw, sending him stumbling back against the wall. The sound of the impact echoes through the apartment.

I gasp and rush forward to intervene, my hands flying to my mouth. “Devin, stop!”

Cameron groans, clutching his jaw as he glares up at Devin, who’s still seething with anger, his chest heaving.

“This isn’t over,” Cameron spits out, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. He glares at Devin before his eyes flick to me. “Look at him. He’s an animal.”

But before he can say more, I step between them, my heart thudding in my breast. “Back off, Cameron. Just leave. Now.”

Cameron’s lip curls as his gaze shifts between me and Devin. “You want him? He’s a fucking Wolfe in sheep’s clothing.”

“Damn straight, I am,” Devin growls as he lifts his chin. “And you just walked into my den, so I’d follow Maya’s orders and leave if I were you.”

Cameron’s complexion turns from red to ashen and he backs away, brushing the blood across his cheek. He finally turns and storms out, slamming the door behind him.

I turn to Devin, anger pouring through me. “What the hell was that?”

Devin stares at the entrance as if waiting for Cameron to burst back in. “He had his hands on you.”

I cross my arms. “And punching him is the solution?”

He finally directs his attention towards me, his expression softening slightly, but the anger is still there. “Did you want him to do that?”

“Of course not, but I can handle myself.”

He gives me an incredulous stare. “Are you kidding me? That guy was a foot taller than you, and he wasn’t backing down. I had to protect you.”

My lungs constrict, making it harder to breathe. “I don’t need you to protect me. What I need is the truth, David. Or should I say Devin Wolfe, billionaire hotel mogul?”

Nodding, he seals his eyelids. “It was only a matter of time. But I wish I had been brave enough to tell you the truth before you discovered it yourself.”

Hearing him acknowledge the fake name is like hammering nails into a coffin. “You lied to me. You’ve been lying to me this whole time!”

He steps closer, his hands splayed as if to calm me, but it only fuels my anger. “It’s not that Iwantedto do that. Ihadto. There’s more at stake here than you realize.”