Page 414 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Elliot laughed. Actually laughed. Ronan smiled. Then his face changed. Serious.

“And you.”

“What?”

“You don’t get to kill for me either.”

Elliot’s chest tightened.

“I promised.”

“I know.”

“No loopholes.”

“Good.”

Elliot stared. Ronan caught himself.

“Sorry.”

This time Elliot smiled.

“Allowed.”

Vance approached. Reality. Again.

“Elliot.”

He looked toward her.

“You’re being transferred to county holding.”

Ronan’s face tightened.

“When?”

“Now.”

The word hurt more than expected. Elliot looked at Ronan. Ronan stepped closer.

“I’ll visit.”

Elliot swallowed.

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve said that.”

“I’ll keep saying it.”

Vance waited. Elliot held Ronan’s gaze. No begging. Not now. He had already asked. Ronan had already answered. Elliot turned. Held his hands behind his back. Vance cuffed him. The metal felt different this time. Still cold. Less terrifying. Ronan remained beside him until the officer moved Elliot toward the hallway. Then Elliot looked back. Ronan was still there. Of course. Saint had been wrong about one thing from the beginning. Ronan did change Elliot. Not because love made Elliot harmless. Not because desire erased violence. Not because Ronan somehow fixed what was wrong with him. Ronan changed him because for the first time, Elliot wanted something more difficult than control. He wanted to deserve the person who kept choosing him.

And Elliot had no idea whether a man with five bodies behind him could ever do that. But for Ronan? He wanted to try.

Chapter Thirty-Three — Still Here