Page 164 of Scars of Fate

“Even if staying hurt?”

“Especially then.”

Wynn lowered her forehead against my shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For thinking you didn’t love me.”

“I gave you every reason to believe it.”

“No. You gave me every reason to know you did. You just never said it when I needed to hear it.”

I swallowed hard.

“I loved you then.”

Her breath stopped.

“I love you now.”

The truth settled between us.

No explosions.

No gunfire.

No one interrupting.

Just the words I should’ve said six years ago.

Wynn slowly lifted her head.

“Lucas…”

A rifle cracked through the forest.

The bullet struck the tree beside us.

I dropped into a crouch and helped Wynn slide from my back.

Adam shouted from ahead.

“CONTACT!”

Enemy fire ripped through the branches.

I shoved Wynn behind a fallen log and covered her with my body.

Men moved along both sides of the slope.

They had reached us faster than Hawk predicted.

Too fast.

Unless…