Recklessly Bound

Chapter Twenty Eight

"S-so... all these years, you 'unfriended' me, stopped caring about me, stopped attending family gatherings, stopped acknowledging my existence because you thought I had a better chance with someone other than you—

"Evelyn, I'm sorry."

"—how f*cking dare you? You have been giving me the cold shoulders for ten f*cking years. You have continued this parade even after I admitted that I have feelings for you. Now... all of a sudden, you decided to confess this to me. After I've been begging you to tell me what I've done wrong to deserve that," I raise my voice, despite the shaking.

"I'm not the man you want." He stares at me. His clear grey eyes are dilated.

"How would you know? How can you decide what is good for me?" I stand up and start pacing. Anger boiling within me like a volcano ready to erupt in a furious and emotional breakdown. "I don't believe you."

"I know. But it's the truth."

"Why didn't you tell me this during our honeymoon, then? Why tell me now?" why tell me after ending it with Lorena?

"Because I was afraid of your reaction."

"Ohh," I scoff, shaking my head. "Don't you dare put this on me!" I point my forefinger at him. "I've wanted you more than anything, all this time."

"Fine, you wanna know the truth?" He stands up as well, approaching me. I tilt my head up as he gets near, pointing my chin up with pride. "These feelings that I have for you scare me. You scare me. Every time that I'm with you, I am more and more myself and you... you see right through me. It scares me how much you can undo me. This façade that I put, the image of the ruthless man, the playboy, the stigma that Hollywood wants from me, it works. I can hide behind it and never worry about how people might judge me when they find out how much I... I like you. I have feelings for you. Strong feelings."

"Y-you do?" I whisper, covering my hand with his, walking closer until his warm breath blows to my skin.

"I do. Very much. It hurts. It terrifies me." He sighs.

"Are you afraid of being hurt or hurting me?"

"Both," he replies.

I grab his other hand and stride with my back to the bed. I feel the edge of the mattress of the bed hit the back of my knees. That's when I sit down, still holding his hands. Slowly, I lie back and take Ethan with me. He straddles me with his forearms on either side of my head.

"We're in this together. Who says I'm not terrified. I'm petrified. That you will walk out, get tired of me. I've spent so many years yearning for your attention. For you to look at me just in the way you are looking at me right now. Please, don't give up on us. Don't decide for me. Let's face this together."

"Evelyn." He closes his eyes, touching his forehead to mine.

"Promise me."

"Ok." He smiles, caressing my lips with his. "I'm here with you."

Slowly and deliberately, I slip my hands to his shirt buttons and open them as I caress my hand over his chest. He shrugs out of his shirt and starts undressing me next. Clothes and underwear fly across the room, all scattered, covering the floor around the bed. He kisses me, slow and sensual. He trails a line of kisses from my jaw down to my cleavage and between my breasts. Sighing in content as he goes. I arche my back, welcoming the sensation.

"Promise me." I sigh, clutching his hair, drawing his warm body closer to me.

"I promise," he whispers against my skin.