The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 570

The distance between them closed, inch by inch.

Their breaths tangled together, heavy and warm.

But just before his lips met Evelyn's, Brooks stopped himself, holding back.

He gazed down at the softness so close he could nearly taste it.

Brooks' breathing lost its rhythm.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, tension thrumming through him.

A storm of emotions flickered in his eyes.

But in the end, the kiss landed gently on Evelyn's forehead-a feather-light touch.

A whisper of a kiss.

Gone before it could even begin.

It wasn't that Brooks didn't desire Evelyn.

On the contrary, he ached to be close to her.

But he wanted their next step-any deeper intimacy-to happen when Evelyn was fully awake, fully aware.

Halfway through the drive, rain began to fall, tapping insistently against the windows.

Evelyn slept on, undisturbed by the storm outside.

When the car finally stopped in front of Evelyn's new place, Brooks glanced over and saw she was still sound asleep.

He signaled for the driver to leave them alone.

He didn't wake her.

Sitting so still for so long, his legs prickled with uncomfortable numbness, but he didn't move, not wanting to disturb her.

up his tablet, slipped on his Bluetooth earpiece, and dealt with

Evelyn, his gaze soft, simply waiting for

At the hospital

to check on

about Dahlia from the

over a month

the boat when she realized something was wrong. The route was all

final destination her phone pointed to sent a chill through her: the

made Dahlia's skin crawl,

exactly what awaited her

she'd felt at

at sea, there was nowhere

but her body, and used it to please the

say no-Dahlia had been

did everything she

keep them satisfied, hoping

to the northern border.

them not

made a

go would mean

which side their bread

to the next, all the way to the

as she arrived, she was shoved into a

survive, she welcomed every customer, doing what she did best charming, pleasing,

month this way, always waiting for

something straight out of a movie: seducing

who could help her

set her sights on one

put on her best act, used every trick she

And finally, it worked.

risk everything and arrange for her

of that compound, Dahlia

long as she was alive and free, there

that escaping the compound

things up