Chapter 655:
Silence fell, broken only by the light clink of his spoon.
Rylie’s fingers curled unconsciously. Her voice came quieter than usual. “This time, I owe you.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll help you get it.”
Brad froze. The spoon stilled. When he looked up, a faint sadness flickered in his eyes.
“Do we really have to keep a ledger between us?” His voice was low, taut.
Rylie blinked. “No… not really.”
She had only meant to thank him, nothing more.
Brad studied her clear, unknowing eyes. His lips curved in a shadow of a smile, tinged with self-mockery. “I told you what I wanted last time.”
“Last time?” Rylie tilted her head, searching her memory.
The silence thickened, a quiet tension filling the air.
Brad looked away, as though unwilling to explain further, his tone slipping back into its usual calm. “Forget it. It’s nothing.”
Before he could say more, Rylie pressed a hand on the mattress and leaned forward.
Her pale lips brushed against his—soft, sudden, and sure.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Brad’s entire body went rigid. His hand clenched the sheet tight, eyes wide, unprepared for her boldness.
The kiss lingered a heartbeat, then she pulled back, whispering, “Is this what you meant?”
He sat frozen, like a statue carved in stone.
After a long pause, Brad finally managed to speak. “What did you just do?”
Discover what’s new on gαℓησv𝒆ls․com
Rylie didn’t hesitate. Her hand pressed against his thigh as she tilted her head, biting lightly on his cool lower lip.
“Didn’t you want a kiss?” Her breath brushed against his mouth. “Didn’t you?”
But before she could pull back to read his eyes, the world spun.
A strong hand clamped the back of her neck, holding her in place. The man who moments ago leaned weakly on the bed suddenly gathered the strength to seize control. With one arm, he lifted her from the wheelchair and crushed her against him.
Her startled gasp vanished into his mouth.
Brad’s kiss erupted like a long-slumbering volcano, fierce and consuming. It was nothing like the soft touch Rylie had offered. His kiss was deep, wild, almost desperate—full of raw hunger and an undeniable claim.
Rylie never expected such intensity. She was unprepared, her defenses shattered. His tongue forced past her parted lips, greedy and relentless, as though he wanted to draw her into himself, to merge her into his very soul.
Her mind went blank. She could only yield, breath stolen, her body limp as her legs lost all strength. The world narrowed until there was nothing but his heat, his grip, his unyielding force.
The air thickened, charged with heat and intimacy, broken only by the sound of their kisses and ragged breaths.
.
.
.