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67
Penny
"If that’s what it takes to atone, yes."
"And what about us?"
"You’re important to me, more than anyone else has ever been. More than any of my team. But, I also have to live by the promise I made my friend."
"And I’ll be the first to admire you and encourage you to do that. It just hurts that you didn’t tell me earlier."
"I’ve been a fool. For the first time, I wasn’t able to recognize what my instincts were trying to tell me. I should have trusted you from the very beginning. I should have told you everything."
I place the Kindle on the side-extension, then reach over and cup his cheek. His eyelids flutter down, and tension seems to release from his shoulders. He turns his face and kisses the palm of my hand. A shiver runs down my spine while a melting sensation grips my chest and my stomach. My arms and legs weaken. It’s a sinking feeling that tells me I’m well and truly a goner.
"Sir," I whisper.
His lips curve. He wraps his thick fingers around the nape of my neck and places his forehead against mine. "I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say that again."
"Me neither," I confess.
He stills, his muscles turn rock hard, but he doesn’t react. He searches my features. "What changed your mind?"
I shake my head. "It wasn’t one thing." I slide my fingers down his throat to the part of his chest where I can feel his heart beating against his ribcage. "Or maybe, it was. I always knew this—the man you are at heart is a gentle, sensitive, perceptive soul who cares for others more than himself."
He scoffs, "You sure you’re not talking about Tiny—the first half, at least?"
I shake my head. "You tried to hide it, but I saw through it. You were cornered and made to fight for your life. You saw unspeakable things done to your teammates, your friends, the people you considered closer than brothers."
"And they were. Every single one of them."
"What you went through would have broken anyone else."
"It did break me, too," I remind her.
"But deep down, you wanted to survive. You wanted a way out."
"You," he says simply. "You were my way out. I saw you and knew it. And fought it every step of the way. But you carried me along, kicking and screaming. I resisted, knowing I wasn’t going to win this fight." He lowers his chin to his chest and presses his hand to the spot above my heart. "I wanted to win your heart but had no idea how to go about it. Indeed, the more I tried, the more it seemed I pushed you away. The more I wanted to win you over, the more I resisted that instinct. The more I wanted to be like your book boyfriends, the more I seemed to act more like the villain in a story."
"My favorites." I sigh.
He starts. "Don’t think I heard that right."
"Haven’t you realized by now, I’m drawn to the bad boy? The alphahole, the badass hero who’s possessive to a fault and who’ll do anything for his woman."
He raises his head and looks into my eyes. "You don’t have to humor me, Little Dove. I’ve been worse than a villain toward you. I’ve been obnoxious and mean, and someone who should be covered in red flags."
"Stop. If you say anymore, I might have to jump you right now, and that would be embarrassing."
He shakes his head. "You’re a strange girl, Little Dove. I’m trying to tell you all the reasons we shouldn’t be together."
"And you forget that I fell for Draco. He’s far more interesting than Harry Potter."
He frowns. "Meaning?"
"I have a thing for toxic boyfriends in not only my book life, but also in real life."
His lips twitch. "You realize, I’m not going to be like Draco anymore."
