Page 79 of The Price of Love

“Now I’ve told you stuff I shouldn’t have, and I don’t know why. My life is complicated and fucked up. What the hell am I doing?” Tears well in her eyes. “And I sound like a psycho. Just tell me to shut the hell up already.”

I try to soften my expression since she took my earlier intensity as danger, and I make sure my hands aren’t clenched before I reach out my hand to her.

“I don’t think you’re a psycho, and I’d like to talk about this.”

She stares at my hand so long I fear she isn’t going to take it. Finally, she moves toward me and laces her fingers through mine.

My heart soars. I didn’t realize how scared I was that she might walk out.

“How about we sit down?” I point to the love seat in the corner of my room.

She nods but doesn’t speak.

Once seated, I turn and face her but continue holding her hand. “There’s a lot to unpack with everything you said.”

She smiles. “You mean my verbal diarrhea?”

I chuckle. “You said it, not me.”

She playfully swats my arm. “You could have said, No, you were so together I didn’t even notice.”

I smirk. “Got it. You want me to lie to you.”

“Jerk.” Her smile warms me.

“Something good happened here. I mean, from what you’ve told me about your life before, with your ex, you just clammed up. Stopped talking. You wouldn’t have felt safe verbally vomiting on her.”

“Oh.” Her eyes get a faraway look. “I hadn’t thought about that. You’re right, though. Never in a million years would I have opened up like that. Not with her. It would’ve been dangerous.”

I cock my head. “Does that mean you trust me?” I hold up my hand with my fingers a couple inches apart. “Just a little.”

She leans against the back of the couch, shaking her head. “Holy shit. I think it does. It’s just I haven’t trusted for so long. I’m not sure what it feels like.”

I put a little more pressure on her hand, but I don’t quite squeeze it. “Then maybe you don’t think I’m as dangerous as you said.” I bet I look like a child wanting approval, but I don’t care.

She takes a moment to answer. “You scared me, your eyes turned black.”

I look down at our interlaced fingers. “I’m intense. It’s how I got my name, but I’d never hurt you.”

“I want to believe that—I think I do. I must if I kept babbling at you. But then you had your fists clenched and said you’ve hit people.”

I sit up taller and jut out my chest. “I protect the people I love. The club. And I’ll never apologize for it, but I don’t go around randomly punching people. Never once have I laid my hands on anyone I’ve dated no matter how mad I am. I walk away.”

She studies my face and then puts her hand against my cheek. “I believe you.”

Relief floods through me. I put my hand over hers and close my eyes. Letting the moment sink in before I say, “Thank you.” I open my eyes. “Does that mean you’re still in?”

“But you said the club wouldn’t handle a Grace being around.”

I sigh. “They’ll get over it. I just didn’t want a bunch of gamblers pawing at you.”

“I don’t, either, but somehow I don’t think Nails is gonna let that happen.”

I grin. “You got a point. But what about you? I’m sure a Thorn isn’t an acceptable dating partner.”

“There’s no rule against it.”

“You gonna tell Wiz that?”