There are a hundred things I could say, but I decide not to waste time. “I’ve been dating your sister.”
One second, I’m standing in front of Darius. The next, he slams me against the wallpapered wall. Which is precisely why we’re meeting at the house today and not at Holt.
His coffee-laced breath brushes across my face; a vein in his forehead is straining against his skin. “You will stop seeing her.”
“No.”
His face closes in on me, skin mottling. “No?”
“No,” I repeat, more firmly now. “I’m telling you out of respect, not to seek your approval.” I groan as his fingers tighten on my throat, allowing him to keep me pinned to the wall. I understand his anger. Christ, I deserve his anger. But I’ll only allow this to go so far. “Let me go, Darius,” I warn.
Seconds tick by…
He finally drops his hand, steps back, and jabs a finger in my face. “When did this fucking happen?”
“We haven’t been together long.” I rub my throbbing neck, urging blood flow. “I also didn’t know she was your sister until you told me the other day.” I move to the wingback chair across from the dark wood antique coffee table and take my seat, putting some much-needed space between us.
“You should have told me then,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Yes, I should have,” I agree. “But I also needed Allie to tell me that she was your sister first, and then out of loyalty to her, I wanted to make sure she was okay with you knowing about us.”
Clearly not satisfied with my answer, Darius stays by the wall, planting his feet wide. “What the fuck do you want with her?”
I answer the deeper question hidden in his: Are you just screwing her? “I want to keep dating her.”
A muscle twitches in Darius’s jaw before he turns his back on me, storming toward the bay window. The silence is heavy and thick, becoming daunting as each second passes. I again glance at the photo of my mother, on the table next to me. I think she would approve of Allie. They share similarities, I realize now.
The light they exude, the joy for the little things, the love for life; they both have that blinding glow about them that lights up a room and makes others want to be around them. Which is why I can’t back down now. Allie makes me break my own rules. Rules I thought were unbreakable.
I’ll fight like hell for her.
I hear Darius sighing dejectedly before he faces me again. “You took me off guard. I apologize for—”
“Don’t apologize,” I mutter. “I recognize the position this must put you in.”
He takes the seat beside me, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Does she know about your…particular tastes?”
“No.” Nor do I intend to tell Allie about my dark desires. I’m under control. My demons are calm and quiet, and I learned last night that when they rise up, she can remove them. Christ, maybe I’m past all that now. I want her, and wanting her means I can’t allow any darkness to creep up.
A deep frown creases Darius’s mouth. “This is a fucked-up situation, Micah.”
“I know.”
He finally breaks the staring contest, blows out a deep, loud breath, and shakes his head. “I would never tell Allison who she should date. She would kick my ass from here to Alcatraz if I interfered in your relationship. But I know, and you know, these secrets could hurt her.”
“I’m well aware of what I could do to her.” I put a voice to the conclusions I’ve already made about Allie. “But you don’t need to protect her anymore.”
“Why is that?”
“Because she’s mine to protect now.” I hold his challenging stare. “I don’t need the things you think I do.” The dark, rough sex that tames my demons. “Not with her. Not anymore.”
Darius snorts, giving me an incredulous stare. “You honestly think you can walk away from something you have craved—and needed—for over fifteen years?” He does not believe me.
I told myself I had to. “For her. Yes.”
Darius considers me again, long and hard. He eventually heaves another sigh, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I implicitly trust you, but Allison”—his expression softens and his voice cracks with emotion—“she is very special to me. I need you to promise me…”
“That I’ll be careful with her?” I offer.