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She took it with trembling hands. I drew my shirt free and stepped out of my boots before taking the glass from her hands to set it beside her on the nightstand next to her side of the bed.
Her side.
Just like that, my bed was divided…one side mine, the other hers. I strode around and climbed in, pulling her down beside me. The whisper of sheets was the only sound. Her tears came slowly, welling in that tiny space against her nose before they spilled free.
I just held her, unable to figure out what to say.
Words failed me.
But there was no way I’d fail her.
This was a night filled with betrayal and brutality, and I'd caused more than my fair share. But it could’ve been far different. I could’ve been too late. Too late to save her…too late to do what needed to be done.
“Sleep, Kat,” I whispered. “I’ll watch over you.”
She closed her eyes and the slick trail of tears eased. It didn’t take long in my arms for her breaths to deepen. I watched her chest rise and fall and even though exhaustion consumed me…I lay awake.
* * *
I caughtsnatches of sleep while she lay pressed against me, just enough to make my eyes gritty, when I felt her breathing change. She opened her eyes and just lay there, until slowly her hand slipped over mine across her belly.
“Morning,” I murmured, my voice husky.
She shifted in the bed, rolling over to face me, her perfect brown eyes dark with pain. “I have something I want to tell you. But I need to prepare myself first. I want…your undivided attention. So how about dinner tonight, just the two of us?”
Fear danced in the back of her eyes. She held my gaze, clung to it like it was the only thing keeping her afloat. “Okay,” I murmured, giving myself over to this woman.
Still, my heart raced with her trepidation. I forced a smile and kissed her softly, taking the corners of her lips.
Whatever she had to tell me, I’d listen…and I’d try my best not to lose my shit.
She’s Hale’s but he’ll let you have her, at least until they’re married…
Zakharov’s words resounded in my head as I pulled away. Whatever relationship she had with that Hale bastard, it wasn’t like this. It couldn’t be…but I’d wait and ready myself for whatever choice she made.
“So, dinner,” she said, sliding her hand along my arm. “Just you and me.”
“Just you and me,” I repeated as her stomach gave a growl.
She stiffened at the sound, then smiled.
Fuck, I loved it when she smiled, hating as she rolled out of my arms and slipped from the bed.
My elbow ached and the muscles of my shoulder were rock hard from holding her. But it was a good ache, acontented ache.
Abeepcut through the apartment, forcing me from the bed. I padded out into the kitchen, grabbed my cell from the end of the counter, and pressed the button. But the screen was blank. No messages waited for me.
Anotherbeepfrom the corner of the sofa drew my gaze. Kat’s phone sat on the armrest. I strode over, grabbed it, and fought the desire to brighten her screen to see who was trying to force their way into our world.
Because itwasours now. The sound of the shower drew my gaze, tearing me from that hunger to know every secret of her world. I strode toward the counter and slid it next to mine, knowing deep down she was going to tell me she’d been arranged to marry that fucking Hale.
But she wouldn’t be for long.
I didn’t care what it took.
She wasn’t leaving me.
I turned to the refrigerator as the sweet scent of my bodywash drifted through the air. I’d need to get the woman her own stuff soon before she used up all mine. A glance at the clock and I realized it was well past lunch. It figured, after crawling into bed around three or four in the morning. So I grabbed what I could, finding bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Teamed with a loaf of crusty white bread, I set to work making her food, igniting the frying pan and dropping in a dollop of butter and some bacon.
