Destined to Die

“Faith, I’m no good for you.” With a sad smile, he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll stay close until we figure out if we have more to worry about. If we don’t…” He dropped his voice. “I can’t do this with you. I can’t hurt you, and I know I will.”

His quiet words knifed through her, and she swallowed down a lump of heartache. Yeah. This was gonna hurt damn bad. “Belen, you don’t—”

Catching gentle hold of her chin, he tipped her gaze to his. “I already am. Don’t tell me I’m not—I see it in your eyes.” He bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “It hurts me, Faith.”

The bell dinged, and the elevator doors rolled open. Belen pushed off the wall to escort her into the hall. “Which way?”

“Left. Number 305.”

She followed along, numb. One magical night, and this was how it ended. With her saying goodbye at her doorstep, Belen returning to his warehouse, both of them carrying a boatload of feeling for the other. Three weeks would go by. She’d contact him. Then…what? They went their separate ways forever?

The idea twisted her heart painfully. There had to be another way. A means of convincing him she didn’t need promises of forever. That they could take their time, tackle each day as it started.

As they reached her door, she dug her keys out of her purse. Rote habit lifted her hand.

Belen’s caught her by the wrist and jerked her hand aside. “Stop.”

Confused, she gave him a puzzled look. His expression was dark. Hard lines etched into his already defined features, and his eyes flashed with dangerous light as he stared at her door.