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I curled into him and let him hold me. This was my safe space—he always had been, even when we weren’t together. Jude saved me and protected me.
“Who did this?” I finally asked, and Jude told me everything. I could tell it was hard for him to say and, even harder, thinking it was his fault. But Ben was arrested now, and Jude and I were still here. I was completely cleared, and Charlie would tell everyone, but this was a small town. It was going to take time for people to trust me again, even after they heard this story and knew I was innocent.
“I’m so sorry, Lena. He never would have come after you if it weren’t for me.”
“Maybe not,” I said quietly. “But he did it because he saw we were happy, and I wouldn’t trade the happiness.”
“I don’t deserve you.” He tilted my face up to kiss me, and I wished with everything I had we weren’t in the hospital and my head and chest didn’t hurt. I wanted him, and I didn’t want to wait.
“I told you I love you?” I asked. “Because I do. I always have, and when I was in there, it felt so stupid that I hadn’t said it yet.”
“You did tell me. And I love you so fucking much, Lena. I was already planning on asking you when everything was settled, but I want us to live together.”
My heart went still for a beat. “I thought we basically were?”
“Officially,” he clarified. “And I don’t care where it is. If you want to move in to my place and do what you said—take the bones and make it exactly the way you want it, I’ll paint it and decorate it as many times as you like. If you want to stay in your house, I’ll pack up tomorrow and bring my stuff over. All I ask is you let me beef up the security some more.”
He was completely serious. Jude didn’t mess around when it came to stuff like this, and he didn’t say things he didn’t mean. Of course I wanted to live with him—I wanted to do everything with him. We’d barely been separated since that first night, and this didn’t make me want to change that anytime soon. But which to choose?
I liked my little house, and I’d made it my own. All the furniture and the books, the way it was decorated, I loved all of that. But I loved Jude’s house too. I saw potential in it to be something truly amazing. Plus, if we did it together, it would be a house for both of us and not just me. That was aside from the fact that Jude’s house was about three times bigger than mine.
“Did I shock your heart into stopping again?”
“No.” I laughed. “I was just thinking about both options, and I think I want your house. If we can make it something we both love and I get to keep some of my furniture.”
“Done,” he said, capturing my lips with his. “You can do whatever you want, as long as I get to keep you.” His eyes turned wicked. “And I’m definitely getting a new bed. One that has plenty of places to use restraints. Especially handcuffs.”
“Shh.” I pressed a finger to his lips. “Not here.”
“Yes, here. I almost borrowed Charlie’s handcuffs on the way back and locked the door.” His mouth was on mine, gently pressing me down into the bed and drowning me in heat.
“Am I interrupting?” an amused voice asked.
We broke apart and found the doctor standing in the doorway, one hand on the door like she was about to knock. “No,” I said. “Of course not.”
“Thought I’d check on you this morning.”
“What time is it?”
Jude smirked. “It’s early. Maybe eight?”
“Oh.” I’d slept the whole night? I glanced down at the tubes in my arm. They’d kept me that way. It made sense, I guess.
“How are you feeling?”
I winced. “My chest hurts and my head aches, but I’ll take it since I’m, you know, not dead.”
She smiled. “That’s a good thing. And everything looks good for me too. I want to keep you one more night for observation and make sure you don’t have any lingering effects from the exhaust inhalation or resuscitation, but if everything’s fine tomorrow morning, you’re clear to go home.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled at us both before she left, not even scolding us for Jude being in the bed with me. Of course, she was probably used to it by now. The Resting Warrior men protected their women, and I was one of those now. My face went hot.
“What was that thought?”
“Nothing.”
“Hmm.” That sound did things to me. “I’ll get it out of you later.”
