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Micah must have realized what a big mistake he made, for he didn’t speak or struggle again, walking silently between the two officers around the side of the mansion and out of sight.
When Nell’s ex was gone at last, Rafe folded his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. “You’re the strongest, most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Do you know that?”
The others gave each other a charged look, and Zach did an exceptionally poor job of hiding his smile. “Why don’t we all head inside,” Zach said, attempting and failing to achieve a solemn tone. “Let’s give these two some privacy.”
As Zach herded the others toward the garden gate, Rafe settled down on the chaise, his heart filling near to bursting when she chose to sit on his lap instead of beside him.
“Thank you,” Nell said again, resting her cheek against his shoulder. “For coming back. For finding me.”
Rafe held her close and sighed. “I’m sorry I left at all.” Though he only made it as far as his car after storming out, and hadn’t even managed to get in. His heart had been breaking, his mind reeling, but somewhere in the middle of all that, he knew he would regret walking away from her for the rest of his life.
By the time he made it back to Zach’s office, Nell was long gone. But an email from Micah was open on the laptop screen. Unable to help himself, he read it.
Thank fucking God he did.
It had taken him about five seconds after that to form a plan. First step: call Holly and warn her. Second step: reinforcements. There wasn’t a soul in the Manor who wasn’t ready to act in whatever way they could once he explained what was going on.
As soon as Rafe learned about Holly’s cop neighbor—who had already noticed Micah’s friend skulking around, arresting him when he tried to break into Holly’s house—Aiden had called the Fairford PD. Then it was just a matter of keeping Nell safe until they arrived.
If he hadn’t changed his mind—if he hadn’t gone back to find her...
A shudder tore through him. He couldn’t even bear to think about it.
The paramedics came out to find them then, and he welcomed the distraction. He sat by patiently as they checked her vitals, shone light into her eyes, and asked her several questions. When they learned about the blow to her stomach, one of them poked and prodded her belly for over a minute, constantly asking, “Does this hurt?”
In the end, they pronounced her good to go, suggesting she take her over-the-counter pain killer of choice if she had any pain.
They’d been alone again for over a minute before Nell cleared her throat. “I need you to know, I never emailed Micah,” Nell said, guilt heavy in her voice. “And I wasn’t ever going to. I—”
“I know you weren’t,” he interrupted. “I’m sorry for how I reacted. It felt like it was happening all over again—you leaving me for someone who could hurt you in ways I wouldn’t. Just like Jess. But that wasn’t it at all. It’s not your fault I panicked.”
She sniffed, snuggling into him. “If I hadn’t been lying to you, you wouldn’t have needed to panic,” she pointed out. “I knew you’d be mad I was reading them. I mean, duh. I’m not stupid.”
Chuckling, Rafe said, “Indeed.”
“But I couldn’t stop doing it anyway. Part of me feltsogood. Getting the apologies, feeling like I was getting some closure on the whole thing. And the other part...I think I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. For the act to end and Micah to start emailing me horrible shit again.”
“I understand. Of course you wanted it to be real.” Rafe began stroking her hair. He’d loved the feel of the long, silky strands between his fingers since the first time he touched them. “But you were too smart to trust it. My good girl.”
The tension in her body melted away at his final words. She pulled away, looking up at him through her eyelashes. “Am I your good girl?” she whispered. “It isn’t only me, right? You feel the same things I feel?”
Rafe cupped her face between his hands. “If you feel like your heart will wither away and die if we’re not together, then yes, I feel exactly the same thing. I—I think I might...” He took a deep, bracing breath. “Fuck it. Nell, I love you.” Now that he’d finally said it, he wanted to say it a hundred times. A thousand. “Jesus, I love you so fucking much.”
Her smile was like a beam of sunlight breaking through the clouds. He wanted to keep this moment with him forever—to memorize every inch of her face. He’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
“I love you, too.” The tears welling in her eyes caught the blue light from the pool, making her look almost otherworldly. “I love you so much it literally hurts. Can I please touch you? Ineedto touch you right now.”
Rafe brushed his lips against hers. “Sweetheart, you don’t ever have to ask me that again.” Unable to help himself, he smirked. “Unless we’re in a scene. Then you’ll do as you’re told.”
Her answering smile heated his blood. “Of course, Sir.” Burying her hands in his hair, Nell kissed him as if her life depended on it. He moaned as she fisted her hands, loving the touch of pain.
There was so much shit they needed to figure out. The mess with the police had to be sorted. They had to make sure Sophie and the baby were safe. Nell would surely want to visit her sister as soon as humanly possible. To see that Holly, Justin, and Pete were safe with her own eyes—to continue rebuilding her life.
Then there was the whole matter of whether they’d stay here, move to Tampa, or go somewhere entirely new. Rafe loved the Manor and loved his work, but wherever she went to grad school, that’s where Rafe would be.
So much to unravel, so many decisions to be made.
But for now, he lost himself in her taste, in the tiny sounds she made as she claimed him, in the friction of their bodies.
