Page 56 of Daring to Love

“Only time will tell, Fin. But I’m willing to try. Can you live with that?”

He nods, his lips twitching once. That boyish smile always hits me right in my heart when he aims it at me, and today is no different.

“Yeah.”

I smile and take a step back when he moves towards me. I have the strongest urge to give the wretched people outside the finger, but my good sense finally kicks in, and I close the door firmly behind us without giving in to the urge.

Fin stands close to my back, his warmth behind me both welcoming and scary. I have missed feeling his strength, and yet I feel I need to steel my heart for a bit longer. I don’t turn around when I feel his arms band around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest, but I don’t push him away.

How can I, now that I know he loves me as much as I love him?

“Do you think the masses will believe your story? Will believe your lie?”

I feel the slow rise and fall against me as he breathes deeply.

“I don’t know, sweetheart. But I hope the owners of the paper will.” He chuckles darkly. “I fervently hope that your solicitors will crucify Erik. He went against the contract, for one thing, and it’s his word against mine.”

“Daddy’s been on the phone with them constantly today,” I grin. What does it say about me that I take pleasure in the demise of a man’s career? Honestly, I can’t seem to muster up any forgiving feelings towards Fin’s editor, and I push the thought of him from my mind.

“That’s good.” His arms squeeze me once and I rest my head back, unwilling to lose his touch now that I have it back.

“My laptop is clean, Amelie. I want you to know that everything I wrote about you – all my notes and thoughts that brought this mess down on you are gone. If Erik believes he has any ammunition, he’ll be sorely mistaken. It’s been wiped clean.”

His lips against my cheek sends my head spinning, and I close my eyes.

“How did you manage that?”

“I once wrote a story about the vulnerability of modern technology. My investigation brought me in contact with a group of hackers, and one of them…well, she owed me a favour. She’s also a romantic, apparently.” He sounds so non-plussed, a giggle erupts from my mouth. “When I phoned her last night, told her about my utter arseholeish way I’d unwittingly behaved, she was most willing to help me out.”

“Can you…can we trust her to keep everything about me to herself?”

“You don’t have anything to worry about.”

I open my eyes, still unsure and vulnerable, but I choose to believe him.

“So…,” he sighs. “What do you think?”

“About what?”

“Do you believe me when I tell you I love you?”

Emotions run rampant as he voices the three words, and I have to suppress the tears that well up in my eyes.

But I do believe him.

“I love you, too, Fin.”

“Thank fuck.”

I turn slowly in his arms and raise my arms to wrap them around his head.

“But hurt me again,” I narrow my eyes in warning, “and I’ll kill you.”

His eyes widen.

“Right.”

“Trust me, I will.”