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Did I really think he was just going to let me go without a fight? To be honest, I’d be disappointed if he did.

My steps slow down. What am I going to do? Say? This is it!

I can’t keep up with the threats. I need to make a decision and commit.

“Hey.” I stop a reasonable distance away.

He stares at me for a long moment, then pushes up from the truck. His arms drop.

“I’m not a hero,” he says, taking a step toward me. “Your dad wasn’t a hero.” He moves closer. My heart races. “And Tyler wasn’t a hero either.”

My heartbeat slams on the brakes. He knows about Tyler! Shit! Aunt Willa must’ve talked to him! He knows the truth. It’s implied in his unwavering eyes.

He halts a few inches from me and gazes down at me. What’s left of the sun illuminates the beautiful color of his eyes.

“What they did…” He holds me with his ardent gaze. One I can’t look away from. “They did it out of love. To protect someone they loved.”

“Yeah.” I lift my chin, aware of where he’s going with the statement. “Then why do you do it?”

“I do it for the same reason.”

“You love the women you save?” I backlash, attempting to distance myself from his ardent hold over me.

“I love my mother and everything she did for my brothers and me. I do it for her.”

“I don’t need a hero,” I declare the truth. The very one that makes me want to run from him.

“Harper James, I’m not trying to be your hero.”

“Still, you manage to secretly portray one.”

“I promise you.” He sifts his hand through my hair and pulls me close.

“I don’t want your promise!” I push back from him. “Tyler made promises. He lied! My father! My mother. All of them. Everyone lied!”

“Hey,” he snaps, halting my ramping words and flying limbs.

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at his chest.

“Look at me!”

“No!”

“Harper.” He walks toward me. The closer he gets, the more I want to cry. Run. Wrap my arms around him. “Look at me,” he says with a strained voice.

I lock my jaw and lift my eyes, struggling not to succumb to my mixed emotions. Not to fall apart into a million pieces in this damn parking lot.

“I will always do everything in my power to come back to you, but you’re right. There’s a chance I may not. Now, you need to decide if you and me, if this, us, is worth taking that chance.”

I stare up at him, unable to find my tongue, seeing the promise and hope in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Tyler?”

“How could I?” I look down at the ground. Unable to face him. “Tyler is dead because of me.”

“Yeah, and Miranda is dead because of me,” he says, regret thick in his words.

My eyes flash to his. “That’s not true!”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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