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A tear slid down her cheek. “Why now?”
He hated that tear. His fingers cupped her cheek so he could catch the tear drop. “Because you didn’t pick someone else.”
“I have no idea what that means!”
“You deserve better than me. I knew it. Always did. But I can be better,” he rushed to say. “I’ll be careful with you, I swear it. I will make you happy. We can have a good life. I won’t ever be like—” His lips clamped together to hold back the words.
Too late.
They both knew who he meant.
And now she reached for his hand. She curled her fingers around his. “You are not your father.”
Wasn’t that something he’d feared when he was younger? But now he knew.I’m not.“The wreck was his fault. They were fighting, as they always did at the end. People saw them fighting before they even got into the car. He drove off too fast. Too angry.” Dammit. “He lost control of the car. He always said he loved her, but he hurt her.”He killed her.The fight—it had been because his mother found out his father had cheated on her. Anger and pain had taken over for them both. And in the end…
I was left with nothing.
No, not true. He’d been left with his best friend and with sweet Noelle. Noelle who had glared at anyone who tried to whisper or gossip. Noelle who had always stood by him. “I would never cheat on you. Hell, I can’t even look at other women. You are it for me. You’ve owned my heart for years. And when we were under the mistletoe together that first time, I wanted to kiss you, but, baby, you were eighteen. You needed a chance to explore the world without me. To live without me. You needed to find your own joy and you needed—”
“I need you.” She slipped from the bed. Went to her knees before him. “I need you. I love you. I am not worried that you’re like your father. I’m not like my parents. None of us are. We are our own people.” Now a smile curled her lips. “Can’t even look at other women, huh?”
“Why bother? They aren’t you.”
Her lips trembled before she threw her arms around him. “And no other man has been you.”
His arms curled around her. “Is that…yes?”
“Yes. It’s a yes. Most definitely a yes.” She pulled back. Beamed at him. “Yes.”
Happiness filled him. It lit up all the cold, dark places inside. No, she lit them up. “I fucking love you.”
“Say it again.”
“I fucking love you.”
“I love it when you talk dirty.” Her mouth crashed onto his.
He was laughing and kissing her, and they tumbled back onto the floor. She sprawled over him, the sheets tangled between their bodies, and he couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He had everything he wanted. Noelle lovedhim.She was going to marry him. They were going to have a life together. He would give her the world.
Everything was so perfect.
Except for the stalker after her. But I’ll take care of him.
She lifted her head. Smiled down at him. “We don’t even need mistletoe any longer.”
No, they didn’t. As long as he had Noelle, Brady didn’t need anything else. His hand sank into her hair, and he kissed her again.
***
That night, Brady thought they were safe. He thought they’d left the danger back in Charm. He kept on being all blissful and living in denial…right up until the next morning when he went outside and found all four of his tires slashed.
Chapter Ten
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…terror. That’s it. Pure terror. Ten minutes—ten years. Felt the same. Because the bastard hunted us down and came to my cabin. All I could think about was keeping Noelle safe.
—Brady
“Go back inside, Noelle,” Brady directed as he stared at the slashed tires.
