Page 99 of Playboy’s Purgatory

“How do you know?” Lara’s eyes turn glassy and the question comes out rough, like it costs her something.

“No matter what, you would never use Vanessa like she’s implying.” I point toward the letter. “This is just Lola pulling her bullshit.”

One tear breaks over her lash line. Then another. And another.

By the time I close the distance between us, Lara has buried her face in her hands and is sobbing. I pull her against my chest and wrap my arms around her so tightly that I should probably loosen my grip. I don’t.

I press a kiss to the top of her head and choke out, “Did you doubt me?”

She peers up at me but doesn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” her words are thick with emotion. “When I called Ryker, someone found the note when I was on the phone with him. I didn’t know what it said exactly, but I knew it would try to frame me in some way and destroy the life I’ve been building here. That combined with the money?”

She closes her eyes and takes a deep, shuddering breath. More tears stream down her face as she shakes her head slowly.

“This was a test,” I don’t pose it as a question because I already know. My brothers shift around us, clearly uncomfortable; I can’t say I blame them.

Her blue eyes search my face, and I know she sees my hurt. She doubted me. She didn’t think I’d believe her. Can she see the pain written on my face?

“I had to know,” there’s a plea in her voice for me to understand. “I should probably apologize for it, but I can’t because I had to know.” Her tone turns insistent, “I’d always question it. I needed to see you choose me, to see you believe me, even if I didn’t know what kind of trap was being laid.”

My eyes slide closed. Not because I don’t understand her reasoning. I do. That’s probably what hurts the most.

I can’t even blame her for wanting to find out what I would do in this situation. If I had condemned Lara, she would never have looked at me the same way again.

But I didn’t doubt her, not for a second. Not now. I don’t think I could ever doubt her again.

I love her.

Oh fuck. I love her.

I’ve been in love with her for a long time, I just hadn’t admitted it to myself yet. Not really. Not fully.

Because I was waiting for her to come to her senses and decide it was smarter for her to push me away.

When I open my eyes, worry is written all over Lara’s face. I cup her cheeks in my large hands and wipe away her tears with my thumbs. “I know you, Cupcake,” the words are husky. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it before, I’m sorry I was blinded by her for so fucking long, but I see you now. I know you now.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispers the words and I can see the regret in her eyes.

I press my lips to hers, softly and briefly. “I know,” I murmur. “Trust takes time and we’ve been building something so beautiful. I don’t blame you for questioning me or being wary. I showed you I was a man who couldn’t be trusted, not with the truth and certainly not with your heart or Vanessa’s heart. Those memories can’t be erased in an instant and I never expected them to be.”

My forehead presses against hers, and our breathing finds the same rhythm. “I love you, Lara,” the words are gentle, like a breeze you close your eyes and revel in. “I don’t expect you to say it now, or ever really, but I want you to know how I feel. I’ll wait as long as you need to trust me, to let me carry a little of your burden, and for you to let me have pieces of your heart.”

I’m about to kiss her again, but Ryker clears his throat. “Well, this is touching,” his voice is filled with amusement, “but we have work to do.” I keep my eyes fixed on Lara, but he must have turned to Whiskey because he says, “You do your tech shit and find out everything you can. Lara is not a suspect, she never was.”

My woman relaxes in my arms, but she doesn’t look away from me either. I watch her struggle. She’s not sure what to listen to—her head or her heart.

“You say it when you’re ready,” I say it low enough for only her to hear.

Her eyes close for a second before they open again. “Okay,” she says just as low and nods.

Snake slaps my back so hard that I almost stumble. “Looks like you finally got your woman,” he teases me. “Well, almost.”

I shoot him a glare promising payback, but he just raises his hands like he didn’t do a damn thing.

“You can’t kill me, I have a baby on the way,” he says it like it’s enough to protect him.

Since I adore Graycie, I guess it will. For now.

That doesn’t mean I can’t find another way to exact revenge.