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“No. I won’t listen to you, or my father, or anyone else for that matter. I chose to hide from my life, and I’m not going to let you pull me back into that sordid mess.”
“I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“By lying to me?”
“Lying?” My brows furrow at her words. How did I lie to her?
“Broken Prince?” she scoffs. “Please, spare me the pain and agony of your perfect life with all that money, status, and the fact that when you saw me, you sneered at me as if I were shit under your shoe.”
“You were a fucking child!” Somehow, my outburst hits her hard, and she stumbles backward away from me. “You were a child,” I say once more, this time less angry.
She nods. “I was. But we both grew up knowing our lives would be mapped out before us. And because of you, I have to live like this.” She waves her hand around her at the town where she’s been hiding.
“Things are happening that will put you in danger.”
“More so now than I’ve been before?” she challenges. One thing I’m learning about sweet Vera Rose is that she’s not the shy girl I thought she’d be.
“Yes.” The one word hangs between us ominously, and I hope she can see the truth in my eyes because I can’t tell her more than that until I’ve heard from Dax. Her father is in prison, so he won’t be pulled into this shitshow, but she’s here, bait for the sharks to find. And I’ll be damned if I let that happen.
“Please, just leave me alone.”
“I can’t do that, Beauty,” I tell her, stepping closer to her, feeling her curves against my hardness. “Because the moment you turn your back on me, I’ll follow you, and I will most certainly steal you from your life here. I can’t let you get hurt. That’s not who I am, not anymore. I don’t care if you believe me or not. I’m going to keep you safe. One way or another.”
“Don’t ever threaten me,” she bites out, her words pure venom, dripping anger, and I can’t help but smile. “This isn’t funny.” Her voice is tight with emotion.
“I didn’t say it was.”
“I’m leaving now, and if you know what’s good for you, so will you. Don’t come back to this town. It’s mine. I chose it. I’m done talking about the past.” She pulls free from me, but what she doesn’t know is, I’m not leaving that easily. I watch her turn and walk down the meadow. Pulling my hoodie back up, I smile as she disappears from sight.
Tonight, I’ll come back for her. And then we’ll be free from danger.
8
Logan
In the hotel, I try once more to make her see the truth. If she doesn’t want to listen to me face to face, I’m going to tell her word for word.
BP: I’m not here to play games, Beauty. I may not be the first person you wanted in your life right now, but I’m here, and I won’t allow you to get yourself hurt because of the past. Like I said, a war is coming, and you’ll be a casualty if you don’t trust me. One chance, that’s all I need. Please.
I hit send before I have time to second-guess myself. I’m frustrated, yet I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful she looked when fire danced in her eyes. I head into the kitchen and find a beer. It’s fucking ten in the morning, yet I’m swallowing back the alcohol like it’s ten in the evening.
The computer dings, but I don’t go to it. Instead, I head into the bedroom and pull out the suitcase I brought here a couple of days ago. Inside, I find what I need — the cloth, blindfold, cuffs, and the bottle filled with a drug that will ensure my sweet girl is asleep long enough for me to get her out of her apartment, into the car, and back to my cabin.
I wasn’t lying to Vera when I told her I’d steal her away. Once all the items are laid out on the bed, I pack my clothes into the suitcase and set it at the door. Ready for me to leave at a moment’s notice.
Once I know everything is cleaned, wiped down, and back to where it was before I entered the room, I pick up my laptop and find a response from Vera waiting for me.
SB: You chose to walk away. Don’t try to lay your guilt on me by telling me you’re here to play the hero. I don’t need one, and I don’t want one. I’ll be deleting my account, so stop contacting me.
My chest tightens at her words. Even just the thought of never laying my eyes on her again takes the breath from my lungs. That can’t happen, ever.
