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It’s already sitting there in her subconscious. She already knows, she just hasn’t figured it out yet.
Placing me and the sweater in the same space may be the catalyst for her tipping point, and telling her that I’m that boy might do me favors in the short-term, it might get me leniency that Theo Griffin cannot hope for. Fuck knows, she might fall into my arms and weep for the boy she thought she lost. But in the long run, Gunner needs to stay dead. He’s gone, and nothing good will come of bringing him back.
I pull into town a little after nine, then I pull up behind Olly’s car and switch the ignition off. I don’t intend to stay long, but I need to see that she’s home. I need to make sure my family is safe.
It takes only seconds for my eyes to focus on the dim light coming from between Lib’s blinds – she’s watching TV in bed – and another minute after that for my phone to ring and Olly’s name to flash on the screen.
I pick it up and swipe to answer. “Yeah?”
“It went well?”
I chuckle. “I didn’t get arrested. Well, not officially, anyway. I wasn’t booked.”
“Success,” he laughs. “You want me here all night?”
“No. You’re off now. I’m leaving too, I just wanted to check in. I’m going to give her space, but we’ll keep watch.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Go to bed, I’m following.”
He hangs up and pulls away from the curb in silence. I turn to Lib’s window and watch for a minute more. I don’t know what I expected to find when I came looking for her – perhaps I was expecting her to still be that little girl. Something to protect, someone to shield. In twenty-two years, I guess I never expected her to actually grow up.
But instead of a child, I’ve discovered a woman. A beautiful, dangerous, demanding, and brave woman. Instead of someone to protect, I’ve found someone to lust for. Instead of finding a girl I might cradle in the safety of my arms, I’ve found a woman I’d like in my arms for an entirely different reason.
I came here hoping and praying she wasn’t dirty, but if she was, I was willing to eliminate her.
And now I’m looking to bring her into my world in a way I’ve allowed no one else in… ever.
Shaking my head, I indicate to pull out, then I head back to my hotel and pack up for the night. In forty-eight hours, I’ve snuck into Libby’s home twice, I’ve seen her at the gym once, I’ve stared into her eyes a dozen times, I’ve held her in my arms once – the fact she was kicking and screaming shouldn’t count – and I’ve offered my body instead of her visiting Drake.
I’ve laid my cards out in the only way I know how, and now I’ve pissed her off so much that she’s bound to shoot me at some point. But she knows I’m here, she knows I’m interested. No one could ever accuse me of subtlety.
But now I have work to do. She’s not dirty, so I’ll leave her be, and while she’s taking time to breathe, I’ll visit the next on my list.
I have some research to do, then it’s time to visit the rest of the family.
