Page 95 of Bound

I’ll kill him.

“What happens to me?” she asks.

I answer her before Erin forces me to. Not warm or cruel, I tell her, “The Bachmans will protect you.”

She looks at me. Something final passes between us.

Not love.

Not hate.

The absence of ownership.

Freedom.

“Why?” she asks me. “Why, after all this and everything that I’ve done to you, to her, to everyone…why protect me?”

I turn to Erin. “Because she’s taught me that betrayal isn’t always the end.”

She grabs my hand and squeezes it.

No one comments.

Blaze snorts.

Rafe starts giving more orders.

Gregory starts typing.

Blaze starts complaining.

Isobel moves with her guards, leaving the room.

Erin turns to me. “Come with me.”

I narrow my eyes. “Where?”

“I need air.” She stares at me. “You can’t deny me air.”

“Only this once,” I say. “Do not get used to it.”

We walk through the house, finally stepping outside together.

Brisk air. Sunshine. No guards between us.

And finally, I do what I’ve been scared to do since the moment the thought first came into my mind.

I drop to one knee in front of the only woman who could bring me to my knees.

“Erin. Marry me.”

She smiles down at me, and her eyes hold equal parts surprise and acceptance.

Like she had hoped, this moment would come.

But was never really sure that it would.

And it has.