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“Leo.”
She threw her arms around my neck, curling into my chest as sobs started anew.
“Shhh. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll keep you safe,” I whispered into her hair as I stroked her back. A purr started without conscious thought as I tried to soothe my omega.
“I was so scared, Leo. I thought you were going to be shot. That I was going to watch you die.”
Her sobs tore at me, and I squeezed her closer, pressing kisses to the top of her head.
“I thought I was going to lose you, too. That my world was going to end on what had been the happiest day of my life. I’m still not sure I won’t lose you.”
She raised her head to look up at me, brows furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
My hand moved to cup her cheek as I pressed my forehead to hers, opening up and being honest with her.
“I know my life scares you. You’ve said from the beginning you didn’t want involved. I promised to keep you separate from it, but tonight I couldn’t. I wouldn’t blame you if…” I sucked in a deep breath before continuing. “If you wanted to leave. For good.”
Cadence pulled back and I let her go, heart stopping as I waited for her response. I tried to stave off the ache that would come if she left. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to let her walk away, even if it was what she wanted and she’d hate me for taking the choice from her.
Her eyes searched my face, her expression solemn, though at least the tears had stopped. Light glistened from her damp cheeks, and I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful she was, even then.
“I love you, Leo. It’s stupid and irrational. It’s reckless. And I should put as much distance as I can between us. But I can’t.”
Her soft words left me stunned, almost too shocked to remember to breathe. Swallowing hard, I sucked in a deep breath, trying to think of what to say, but words escaped me. All I could do was pull her closer and press my lips to hers, fighting the urge to bite her right then so she could never change her mind.
Chapter Twenty
Cadence
Istirred slowly, the weight of Leo’s arms around me bringing a smile to my face before I opened my eyes.
And my heart stopped.
“Shit!”
I tried to bolt upright, but those same arms that had felt so good a moment before prevented me. Pushing at them, I finally wiggled free and rolled from the bed as Leo raised his head and blinked at me.
“What’s wrong?”
I gestured around at the sunlight pouring into the room, unable to articulate the issues clamoring for attention in my head.
It was morning.
I hadn’t returned home last night, and my brother was going to freak out if he noticed. I only had twenty minutes to get to work, which meant no time to try sneaking home, or even get in the shower. Luckily, Leo hadn’t done more than hold me all night.
Leo’s head turned to the clock on his nightstand, and he grunted as he pushed himself upright.
“Get ready. I’ll drive you to work.”
With no other option, I nodded and dashed to his closet. The outfits Leo had bought me were mostly sexy little things to wear at the club, so it took a moment to find something that would be appropriate for the office. I wished I had the black skirt I’d worn to the dinner with his mother, but I had no choice except a tight white skirt with a split up the thigh. I’d have to pin it closed once I got to my desk, or someone might say something.
I was dressed and ready to go in ten minutes. Leo kept shooting glances at me from the corner of his eye, but he remained silent through the drive to the office building.
I was tense with worry over being late and opened the door as soon as Leo pulled to a stop, but his hand shot out and caught my wrist before I could step out of the car.
“Having you in my arms all night was even better than I’d imagined. I can’t wait until I get to have you there every night.”
