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She blinked.What is happening right now?He couldn’t kiss her senseless and then—then—
“That was what you wanted, wasn’t it?A fuck but no emotion?”
Her breath sawed out.What she wanted…I’m looking at him.
“I can’t give you that.”He backed up.Caught her hand and pressed it to his chest.“My heart is about to break out of my chest right now.Every moment I was away from you, I was scared.I don’t get fuckingscared.Or at least, I didn’t.Not until you.”
Lark wasn’t sure what to say.She did get scared.All of the time, but she refused to let that fear stop her.With him, right in this moment, she was terrified.He can break me all over again.Or they could break each other.
That terrified her.
And what else terrified her?Never being with Oliver again.
“I left the Bureau for you.Executive Assistant Director Ballard wanted me to send you to a safe house after your attack last night.Hell, maybe that’s what I should have done.”
Back up.Had he just said that he’d left the Bureau forher?
“But I didn’t want to be separated from you.I don’t want some random agent making sure you’re safe.I want to protect you.More than that, Ineedto protect you.”
His heart raced beneath her hand.A powerful, driving beat.
“I will kill to protect you.”
She could feel her eyes widening.
“I know how monsters think, Lark.When I saw the way Nate reacted to you…every bit of his fury and pain and grief is locked on you.He blames you.Hates you for living.Hates you because you’re Lane Lawson’s twin sister.Nate wants revenge, and he thinks he’s gonna get it by hurting you.If he kills you, he’ll take out the only person Lane loves.”
Goose bumps rose on her arms.
“You thought the real Bridal Killer was in your car last night.But Theo called me right before I pulled into my drive just moments ago.”A muscle flexed along his clenched jaw.“During the search of Nate’s hotel room, Jase turned up a syringe.One loaded and ready to go.Don’t know what is inside that syringe yet, but we will soon.”A long pause.“Considering you were attacked by a bastard holding a syringe while you were in your car, this find seems pretty freaking important, don’t you think?”
Important.Horrifying.
“Nate isn’t the Bridal Killer,” he said with certainty.“Nate was in Colorado when Susan Peters and Amelia Wayne were abducted and murdered.I checked his alibis myself.And when Casey went missing?He was drinking in a hotel bar—on camera—until nearly three a.m.Casey was last seen a little after one.He isn’t the killer you’re after.You didn’t lure the real Bridal Killer out with your story on the news.”
She couldn’t move.
“Maybe you didn’t lure him out because the real killer is already in jail.”
No.Lane can’t be the killer.
“But you do have Nate’s attention.He came to this town to find you.To hurt you.To kill you.When he saw the news story, it could have fueled his rage even more.And now he’s in the wind.”
A fist seemed to squeeze her heart.
“I swear to you,I will keep you safe.I might have to cuff you to my side, but I’ll do it.He isn’t going to get to you.Hate me.Go right ahead and do that.Just know that I will protect you.I will do whatever it takes no matter how you feel about me.”Grim.
“Why?”The question was torn from her.
“I told you.Nate is coming after you because you’re the only person Lane cares about in this world.The only way to hurt him is by hurting you.But that’s not going to happen.I won’t let it.I’ll see Nate in the ground first.”
He kept…kept saying things like that.“You don’t sound like a Fed.”
“What do I sound like?”His lips twisted.“A killer?Maybe that’s what you need.”He backed away from her.
Her hand fell to her side.
“Executive Assistant Director Ballard told me—hell, the bastard basically said he thought I was obsessed with you because I’d gotten so wrapped up with the Bridal Killer that I couldn’t stop thinking like him.According to Ballard, the Bridal Killer wants you, so I do, too.”
