“The one who has only ever tried to protect you?” he asked, quieter now, but far more dangerous for it. Yet it wasn’t enough to prevent me from scoffing, although there was no humor in it.
“Protect me?” I repeated, disbelief lacing every word.
“Is that what you call that file I found?” His expression tightened at that, something flickering behind his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“Knowing how I take my coffee or where I sit when drinking it is supposed to protect me?” I continued, my voice rising slightly as the frustration finally broke free.
“Knowing who I’ve dated, who I’ve spoken to, my grades from high school, every detail of my life?” He winced at that, his gaze softening finally when I continued,
“Do you know how that made me feel?”
He exhaled slowly.
“I can understand how intrusive that must have felt.”
“Intrusive?” I repeated.
“It was a complete violation of my privacy, my life and everyone in it!” I snapped before my voice faltered slightly, but I pushed on,
“Do you want to know what the worst part is?” I asked, my voice tightening despite my effort to keep it steady.
“If you had just asked me, I would have told you everything. But instead… you went behind my back.”
“What would you have me say, Eliza?” he replied, his tone quieter now but no less intense. His gaze fixed on me as if searching for something he couldn’t quite reach.
“How about that you were wrong?” I shot back, my frustration rising again.
“That you’re sorry? That you’ll let me go?”
At that, his head snapped up instantly.
“Never.”The word landed with absolute finality, cutting through the space between us like something solid.
“I cannot do that,” he continued, his voice steadier now, though something strained beneath it.
“I can apologize for what I have done, yes. I should have come to you first, talked to you about these things… I know that now.”
He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair as though trying to rein himself in.
“I am not used to dealing with mortals in an intimate way. I am heavy-handed, impulsive, arrogant and selfish. All of these things. But there is one thing I will never agree to, Eliza…”he said, lifting his gaze back to mine, something unshakable settling into it now,
“And that is letting you go. Because no matter what you think you believe, I know in the depths of my soul that I’m not wrong about the way I feel about you.” His eyes locked onto mine, holding me there as my breath caught in my throat.
“Siren or not…” He stepped closer, closing the distance between us inch by inch, his presence pressing against me before he declared,
“I have fallen in love with you.”
25
DEADLY OBSESSION
The words hit harder than anything else he had said, and I staggered back a step, my breathless gasp escaping as my mind struggled to catch up.
“What?”
“It’s true,” he said, softer now, though no less certain. His voice dropped as though the weight of his admission demanded it.
“I don’t care if it’s forbidden, and I care even less if you’re my Siren or not.”
