Page 109 of Illicit Education
Warmth filled my chest at the little nod to our first meeting.
“What… now you’re going to tell me the fans will understand?”
“Yes.” Regaining his confidence, he stood taller, with his feet shoulders’ width apart, and his hands clasped behind his back.
I sat taller too, pulling strength from him. Mina was worried about me, but she didn’t have to be. Everything I’d done with Cabot was within the rules laid out for members.
I should know; he made me read every single word.
Feeling Mina’s gaze on me, I pulled my eyes away from Cabot.
“And you think that because you wanted him, because you were attracted to him, that you’veconsentedto all of this.”
I bristled at the implication in her words. Like I wasn’t of sound mind when I read countlesspagesof paperwork. Like I wasn’t old enough or wise enough when I spenthourslearning about every aspect of this man’s lifestyle.
Like, somehow, because I wanted him, I was no longer capable of making decisions on my own, or for my own best interest.
Well, Mina might know a lot about thislifestyle, but she knew nothing aboutme.
With a deep breath, I stood, squared my shoulders, and gave a deliberately firm, “Yes.”
Eyebrows raised, she watched me for a few moments, then stated, “And you’re in love with him.”
My gaze flicked to Cabot, but he still stared at the wall above Mina’s head.
I drew in a shaky breath, swallowed hard, and said, just as firmly as the last time, “Yes.”
I didn’t look at him again, for fear of what I’d see.
Silence, thick with my admission, filled the room.
Seconds turned into minutes, turned into what felt like hours.
Finally, Mina sighed. “You’re one of my oldest friends, Cabot.” She paused, and I wondered if that was the entire statement. “Go. Get her out of here. I’ll handle Stella.”
Without wasting another second, Reed inclined his head, then strode toward me, his dark gaze intense but giving nothing away. He slipped his hand into mine and pulled me out the door and down the hall. I had to hurry on too-high stilettos to keep up with him.
He stopped abruptly, turned around, bent at the waist, and threw me over his shoulder.
I gasped, then bit back a giggle as he stormed through the underground, a terrifying man on a mission.
This was not the time for my famous nervous giggles.
My stomach twisted as I bounced over his shoulder.
He hadn’t said anything when I admitted my feelings for him, and he was a silent wall of pent-up energy as he returned to the room we’d been in earlier, grabbed our things, then left the Rabbit Hole without a word to anyone–and me still plopped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
If we passed Stella on our way to the parking garage, I had no idea.
Was he pissed at me? Pissed at Mina? Would he stop seeing me now?
My chest swelled with ache at the prospect of losing him.
But he’d been very clear with me about his personal life. He didn’t have girlfriends, didn’t do relationships. Hell, when I’d brought it up early on, he’d actually looked disgusted at the very idea.
And now I’d gone and fallen in love with him when, in his eyes, I was likely just a shiny new toy in his playground.
I couldn’t blame him if he was pissed off.