Page 9 of Yearner

The sharp slap echoed between them.

Silas's head turned slightly with the impact, but he made no move to stop her. When he looked back at her, Allison's hazel-green eyes flashed with fury beneath her long lashes. Her cheeks had flushed, and her full lips parted in disbelief, the delicate beauty of her heart-shaped face now sharpened by anger.

“Are you out of your mind?” she snapped.

She shoved both hands against his shoulders and forced him to take a step back, desperate to put some distance between them. Her long chestnut hair tumbled over her shoulders as she roughly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Silas's gaze followed the movement, and the sight seemed to ignite something in him. Before she could say another word, he caught her again and pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her with a roughness that left her struggling to pull away. His lips moved over hers repeatedly, refusing to give her more than a moment to catch her breath before claiming her mouth again.

Allison fought to free herself, pushing against his chest until she finally managed to break the kiss. The instant he released her, she wiped her mouth again, her eyes blazing with fury.

Silas took one step back, his jaw tightening as he watched her deliberately erase the evidence of his kisses. A low growl rumbled in his chest.

“Wipe it off again,” he snarled, his jaw tightening as fury darkened his eyes. “Go on, Allison. Wipe it off one more time, and I’ll kiss you until you understand that my taste is the only one you’ll ever get in this life!”

She glared at him, her hands curling into fists at her sides. Silas tilted his head in a sharp, challenging jerk, his dark eyes daring her to defy him.

Allison lowered her hand. She was trembling with anger, and she could hardly believe the audacity of the man standing in front of her. He had kissed her against her will, ignored her attempts to push him away, and now he was threatening to do it again as though her refusal meant absolutely nothing.

She drew in a sharp breath, forcing herself to regain control.

“Fine.” Her voice was tight with anger, her eyes blazing as she glared at him. “From now on, I don't want to see you. Stay the hell away from me, Silas. Or I'll leave again and disappear somewhere you'll never find me. I've done it once, and I'll do it again. If it weren't for Shane, I never would have asked for your help in the first place.”

Without waiting for his response, she turned and stormed toward her luggage. She grabbed the handle, determined to leave before he could find another way to corner her.

“And you’re not afraid of what might happen to your brother if I decide to pull my men off his protection?” he shot back, his voice hard with anger. “Because the moment I give the order, he’s on his own.”

Silas's words stopped her cold.

Allison's face changed instantly. The fury that had been burning inside her surged to an entirely different level, stiffening every muscle in her body. For a moment, she stood motionless, her fingers tightening around the luggage handle until her knuckles turned pale.

Then she released it and marched straight back to him.

“Silas!”

She grabbed his shoulder and spun him sharply to face her, her eyes blazing as she looked up at him.

“Just because of me, you’re going to tarnish the reputation your family has spent more than a hundred years building?” Her voice shook with outrage as she stared at him in disbelief. “Blackwell Industries has always honored its deals and kept its word. Your family has spent generations building that trust, and now you’re threatening to throw it all away just to threaten me?”

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to contain her anger.

“Is this really the kind of man you are?”

The words came out sharper than she intended, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The thought of him using her brother's safety to force her to stay near him made her outraged beyond words. She could endure his anger toward her. She could even walk away from him and bear the consequences herself. But she couldn't risk Shane's life simply because Silas refused to accept her decision.

Her eyes burned, and before she could stop them, tears spilled down her cheeks.

She hated that she was crying in front of him, hated that he could still push her to this point, and hated that she had so little power over a situation that could put her brother in danger.

The anger that had been burning through Silas moments ago gradually faded as he looked at Allison. He couldn't stand the way she was looking at him now, her eyes glistening with tears she was desperately trying to hold back. The thought that he had been the one to bring her to this point made something twist painfully in his chest.

“I'm sorry.” His voice softened, the words coming out almost reluctantly. “Don't be upset.”

He took a step toward her, then stopped, watching her face as if he were afraid that one wrong move might make her retreat from him again.

“You disappeared from my life for ten years, Allison.” His jaw tightened, and the pain of those lost years darkened his eyes. “For ten years, I waited for you, never knowing if I'd ever see you again. And now that you're finally standing in front of me, I'm terrified of losing you all over again.” His gaze searched her face, his voice dropping to a quiet plea. “I can't go through that again, Allison. I don't want to lose you a second time.”

For a moment, he seemed uncertain about what to do next. Then he slowly lifted his hand, his fingers brushing against her cheek with unexpected care. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, his touch gentle.