Page 44 of Avenging Azalea

“Stop it. I don’t want to hear anymore. What’s done is done, and there’s no going back. If you only came over to talk me out of marrying Vera, then you can show yourself out.”

“Fine, I’ll go. But remember that I told you this was a mistake.”

I slowly backed away and darted into the dark library across the hall. Standing in the shadows, I watched Ronan leave. I’d only met him once two years ago. He’d seemed imposing then, but now he made me shiver.

“Fuck,” Titus swore, and I jumped as something shattered.

Titus never got angry. It was as rare as a blue moon. Not stopping to think about it, I ran into the den. He had his back to me, and his hands were balled into fists. There was a dent in the wall across the room and glass on the floor.

“Are you okay?”

He spun around, and all the bravery I’d managed to build flew out the window. My heart thundered in my chest as my mind raced at the sight of him. Titus’s eyebrows were pulled down in a scowl, making his already sexy eyes darker. It brought me back to his confrontation with the football team. He’d been so different, so commanding, and…after the initial shock, all I wanted to do was fan myself.

“Fawn, you came home.” His voice was soft, and I bit my lip to hide my true reaction.

It was like a million little hummingbirds took flight inside of me. All my emotions from the last month were tossed into the mix, leaving me more confused than I’d ever been before.

“I…um…I….” I repeated the two words as Titus walked toward me. The energy in the room shifted, and my legs shook. “I’m….” I tried again, but words continued to escape me.

My brain misfired completely when he reached for me and cupped my cheek tenderly. It had always amazed me how someone so large could be so gentle.

“God, I’ve been so worried. I thought I scared you off when I grabbed you. You looked terrified. Like you thought I might hurt you. But I could never. I need you to know that,” Titus said, suddenly pulling me into a hug.

As hard as I tried to resist the urge, I hugged him back. He smelled incredible and was so warm. I wanted to snuggle into him and never let go. He might have been worried about me, but it was clear that I was still wholly in love with him. My heart sang with his touch, and I gripped his shirt with a desperation that I could never show him.

“The house is never the same without you.”

I closed my eyes and had to step away.

He let me pull back, and I wanted to scream. Why was he so damn nice? God, what I wouldn’t give for him to push me up against the wall like he had the other night. Instead of letting me walk away, he could ravage my mouth before carrying me into the bedroom. But he wouldn’t do that because he was too much of a gentleman.

It took all the courage I possessed to look him in the eyes.

“I just wanted a little break and to hang out with Steph. Some time to unwind from exams. You know….” I said, fluffing the conversation off.

Titus opened his mouth, but I pointed toward the other end of the house.

“I was getting something to eat when I heard you yell. Are you okay?”

“Yeah…I am now.”

I stuffed my hands in my jeans to keep them from touching him.

“Okay, well…I’m gonna go.”

He didn’t say anything when I turned to leave, so I kept walking. My body was trembling from the surge of emotions.

“Fawn….”

Titus had followed me into the hallway and was staring at me with…was that hope?

“Do you want a milkshake?”

I looked down at my phone.

“At nine at night?”

“Yeah, why not? Live it up a little.”