Turned slightly toward me.
And for one second?—
the hard killer expression on his face softened when he saw how scared I was.
“I’m not letting him stand outside this house threatening you.”
“He wants you angry.”
His jaw flexed once.
“He should’ve thought about that before he came here.”
Then he opened the front door.
Rain and thunder exploded inside instantly.
“Hersh!” I ran after him before anyone could stop me.
The second I hit the porch, cold raindrenched me again.
“Hersh don’t?—”
He turned fast.
Grabbed my arms.
His face was inches from mine now.
Water streamed down both of us while chaos and lightning crashed around the ranch.
“Listen to me.”
His voice was low.
Intense.
Every word deliberate.
“If anything happens?—”
“No.”
“Flick.”
“No.” Tears burned instantly in my eyes. “Don’t stand there talking like this is goodbye.”
Something painful moved across his face.
Because he understood exactly why I was panicking.
Because somewhere along the way?—
this stopped being protection.
Stopped being survival.
I loved him.
