Page 185 of Unsuitable

Jesse has to come first. He will always come first.

Turning, I step away from Kas.

“Your name is clear,” he says from behind me. “You can do anything. Go anywhere. Make a better life for yourself and Jesse. You don’t need a screwed up fuck like me holding you back.”

I spin around, ready to argue, but he holds a hand up, stopping me.

“And I need time, Daisy.” His eyes hold mine, a thousand emotions running through them. None of them are good. “I need to find out who I am.” His words cut me down. “I’ve spent the last seven years of my life chasing revenge, being obsessed with it…and, now…” He blows out a breath, looking lost. “I need time,” he whispers.

He’s leaving. He’s really leaving.

I want to curl up into a ball on the floor and cry.

But I don’t.

I do what I always do. I hold steady. “Where will you go?” I ask quietly.

“Greece. If you still need the job at the estate, I’m hiring someone to run it—”

I shake my head.

I couldn’t go there every day and see that place. See the bed where he once made love to me…

“If you need money,” he says.

“I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, I know you will be.”

I lift my eyes to him to see a sad smile touching his lips.

And I don’t look away. I keep staring at him, soaking in every detail of him, knowing it’s the last time I’m ever going to see him.

And he stares right back at me.

My heart is beating painfully. I’m slowly dying on the inside.

I have to get away from him. I need to stop feeling this way.

But I’m not ready to leave him yet.

Deep down, I know I’ll never be ready.

“So…” I hear myself saying, breaking our quiet.

Kas doesn’t speak. He just walks over to me. And, when he reaches me, he takes my face in his hands. His eyes roam my features, like he’s drinking me in.

My mouth is dry. There are hot tears behind my eyes, and my throat feels like it’s about to crack.

“Daisy…” he whispers my name. He slowly brings his mouth to mine, only closing his eyes when our lips meet.

He softly kisses me, tasting me, letting his tongue slide along mine.

Tears fill my eyes as I memorize the feel of him against me, the way he kisses me.

Then, he deepens the kiss, clutching me to him. And I match him stroke for stroke.

“I love you,” he breathes against my lips. “That will never change, no matter where I am.”