AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My chest tightens. She still thinks Dominic strangled her on the orders of her ex. Telling her it was her half-brother, Samson Capello, would only make things worse for both of us.
“Don’t worry about Jim,” I growl, wiping gore off her cheek. “His days are numbered.”
She gazes up at me, her eyes shining with hope. “Do you promise?”
“The next time you’ll see that motherfucker will be at his funeral. He hurt you, and he must die. It’s that simple.”
Emberly closes her eyes and sighs. I swipe the cloth over her eyelids and murmur, “Please stay awake. I need to know where you’re injured.”
“Only a few scrapes and my scalp,” she says.
“How did you find out he was a cop?” I ask.
“He helped me escape the gunfire, but I wanted to go back and check on you. When he wouldn’t let go of my arm, I grabbed his shirt and saw a tattoo on his chest. It’s identical to Jim’s.”
“A police fraternity?” I gently wipe the rest of the blood off her face.
“Maybe.” Her eyes snap open and she cranes her neck, seeming to scan my body for injuries. “How are you still standing? I saw you get shot.”
“Bulletproof undershirt,” I say with a smile. “If I hadn’t worn it, that bastard would have taken you away from me.”
She shudders. “Who shot you?”
“Let me worry about that. Focus on getting some rest.”
“Alright.”
Her broken voice makes my heart crack. Emberly’s ex-boyfriend is proving to be unexpectedly more resourceful than anticipated, and that makes him dangerous.
I don’t understand why Jim Callahan is pursuing her so relentlessly, but this shit needs to stop. My contacts at the police department will send me everything they can dredge up on that asshole, and then I’ll have him followed.
Keeping her talking, I ease off the blood-spattered gown and expose her silver lingerie. This situation has gotten me so riled up that I don’t even pause to appreciate her beauty.
After cleaning up the blood, I lay her in my bed and pull the covers up to her neck.
“Thank you,” she murmurs. “You’re always coming to my rescue.”
No, I’m not.
As I gaze down at her, my throat constricts, and I am unable to utter a response. Dark curls radiate across the pillow, framing her beautiful face like a halo. The ache in my chest intensifies into a crushing weight.
If Emberly knew I was more dangerous to her than Jim Callahan, she would never stop screaming. Tonight, I almost lost her, and the thought of that is too much to bear.
I can’t catch feelings for her, but this evening’s attack has left me reeling. I know, from the depths of my blackened soul, that at some point, I will lose Emberly forever.
Fuck, I can’t believe I once thought of putting a bullet through her skull. Watching her create art was mesmerizing, and having her on my arm tonight filled me with so much pride.
She’s the most unique person I’ve ever met and a perfect combination of down-to-earth humility and class. Spirits like Emberly are exceedingly rare and too precious to waste.
I lean down for a kiss, my nose filling with her sweet scent. Cinnamon, vanilla, and the most intoxicating musk. Every instinct inside me rears up, wanting to devour her, desperate to mark her as mine.
As my mouth reaches her cheekbone, she turns to meet me halfway with parted lips.
When I pull away, her features fall, and her hopeful, beautiful green eyes lose their sparkle. My heart twists at the sight of her disappointment, but I can’t stay. Lord knows I don’t deserve Emberly.
If I kiss her, I will never leave.
What the fuck is this woman doing to me?
