Chapter 281
Chapter 281
Niamh answered the phone, a bit confused and on guard.
On the other end, Jonathan’s voice came through.
“Prescott, I’m on Harborview Drive…”
That first word-“Prescott“-threw Niamh for a loop. She didn’t get it at all.
But it didn’t take her long to realize Jonathan had dialed the wrong number.
The call was meant for Prescott, not her.
Niamh tried her best to listen to what Jonathan said next, but his words broke up, unclear and scattered. Through the static, she could tell something was off–his voice trembled, as if he was shivering.
Night had fallen by the time Niamh restarted her white BMW and sped off into the
darkness.
Harborview Drive.
At this hour, the road was all but deserted.
She’d assumed finding Jonathan would be tricky since she hadn’t caught his exact location. But she’d underestimated the eye–catching presence of a royal blue
Bentley.
As soon as she turned onto Harborview Drive, she spotted it parked on the side of the road, hazard lights blinking in the gloom.
Niamh pulled over and got out, walking up to the striking car. She rapped on the driver’s side window.
“Jonathan?”
No response. So she yanked open the door.
A heavy wave of alcohol assaulted her senses, making her cough.
Jonathan sat slumped in the driver’s seat, eyes shut. Whether he’d never bothered with his seatbelt or already taken it off, she couldn’t tell, but it wasn’t on him
anymore.
His suit jacket was a crumpled mess, tie discarded, and several buttons on his shirt had come undone, exposing his graceful collarbones and an Adam’s apple that bobbed with each shaky breath.
Chapter 281
He didn’t look asleep, not really, even with his eyes closed.
Niamh noticed his face–flushed, alarmingly so–and sweat poured down his skin, like he’d been caught in a downpour.
He was frowning, lips parted, struggling for every breath.
Nothing about this was normal. For a moment, Niamh stood frozen, unsure what to do.
“Jonathan, do you recognize me? It’s Niamh…”
Silence.
“You called the wrong number. I got your call instead of Prescott’s. I tried calling him afterward, but he didn’t pick up…”
She was explaining softly, when suddenly Jonathan’s hand shot out and grabbed her collar.
She barely had time to react before he pulled her toward him, hard.
And then–heat pressed against her lips. Jonathan kissed her.
This wasn’t a gentle brush or a hesitant touch; from the start, it was hungry, overwhelming. Niamh had the wild thought that he didn’t want to kiss her–he wanted to devour her.
She wasn’t even resisting, but Jonathan’s kiss was rough, almost desperate.
Before she could push him away, he released her abruptly, shoving her back.
Only then did Niamh realize Jonathan’s hand was bleeding. Crimson stained her shirt where he’d touched her.
“Jonathan, what happened to you?”
He staggered out of the car, his gaze locked on her–feral, ravenous, like a starving animal that had finally found its prey.
Niamh had never seen him look at her like that before.
She’d always known Jonathan had a powerful desire, but even before the divorce, he’d never looked at her with such raw, almost savage hunger.
A shiver ran down her spine. She was scared.
Jonathan was clearly out of it, not himself at all. But she couldn’t just abandon him like this.
Chapter 201
Before she could make up her mind, Jonathan grabbed her again, one hand tangled
in her hair, and kissed her–hard.
