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Ari turned to me, and my pulse pounded in my ears. “Did you know? When you told me to pack my bag this morning, did you know that you were going to offer yourself as bait?” Tears pricked her eyes.
“If Psycho showed up again, it was always the plan. I had no idea you were alive, Ari. As for today, the idea is to keep you safe, but I’m going to deal with Psycho as soon as the opportunity shows up. It was simply a matter of time before Gunner tracked him. I didn’t know my uncle and his men were close until a few minutes ago, when Gunner explained everything.” It wouldn’t work in my favor if I told her I’d met with the society guys to watch out for her. That before Gunner messaged me, I was going to try and draw Psycho out to end him once and for all. Plus, I couldn’t reveal the identities of my brothers.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, remaining quiet while she stared at the floor. Unfortunately, our scheme was probably the only way to coax Psycho into the open so Gunner and his men could take the son of a bitch out.
“I want a gun,” Ari said, her tone clipped and heated.
Shocked didn’t even begin to explain what I felt. “You know how to shoot? Since when?”
“Peter. When he was pretending to be my friend, we went to a shooting range in the middle of nowhere and he taught me how to shoot along with firearm safety. If you’re meeting Psycho, I’m fucking going too. So before all of you get your panties in a twist and object, get me a damn gun. There’s no way this is happening without me.”
Someone’s snicker caught my attention, and Ari quirked a brow at Tiny. “Problem?”
“Not mine. You’re all Jagger’s.” He turned to me. “Ma man, you’ve got a spitfire on your hands.”
I grabbed Ari’s wrist and pulled her against me. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Let’s hope the plan worked and Ari and I could walk away and start our life together for real.If it were only that simple.
* * *
“I’m furious with you.” Ari sunk on the edge of the king-sized bed with a navy comforter. I propped the pillows against the headboard.
“I get it. By the time I realized I was in too deep with you again, it was too late.”
“You should have told me, Jagger.”
Exasperated, I shook my head. “I didn’t know that Psycho was around for sure until we got here, Ari. How was I supposed to tell you about it if I had no clue what was happening?” I blew out a breath, tamping down my temper. “Listen, be mad at me, but it’s too late to walk away. You had your chance when I told you what Psycho forced me to do.”
Her blue eyes blazed. It was clear my pep talk was anything but.
“Do you love me, Ari?” I knew the answer or she wouldn’t still be here, but I needed her to say it.
“Since I was twelve.” Her voice was soft. It had been a fucked-up day, and all I wanted was to be inside her, hold and touch her, keep her safe.
“If I said you could leave right now and I would never reach out to you again, would you go?”
A long silence filled the space between us and my pulse shot up.Fuck! She would.
After several more seconds, she replied, “No. I lost you once. I can’t lose you again. Four years was bad enough.” Her expression softened as she crawled up the mattress then straddled me. “There’s a good possibility that I’m as twisted as you are. I’m convinced that we couldn’t live through what we have and not come out warped in some ways.”
I brushed the stray hairs from her ponytail off her cheek. “Maybe we’re the right amount of fucked in the head to be a perfect fit for each other.”
She briefly closed her eyes. “Why does that actually make sense?” Ari rocked her hips against me, and my cock grew painfully hard.
“No more attitude then. I made the best decisions for us that I could. We’re alive and here together. That’s what matters.” I tapped my finger against the tip of her nose.
“For how long, Jagger?” Fear flickered across her beautiful face. “What if this goes wrong and we have to say goodbye to each other? I don’t think I can live through losing you a second time.”
I leaned up and kissed her. “Nothing and no one will ever come between us again.”
“You say that, but you can’t promise me. We don’t know.” She ran her fingertips down the front of my white T-shirt, her nails scraping over the material.
“Are you saying that I’m lying?” I gripped her hip hard.
“Maybe.” A mischievous smile graced her mouth.
I licked my lips, remembering her scent and taste tingling against my tongue. “I think you need that attitude fucked out of you.” She quivered against me.
I fisted her ponytail and tilted her head back. “You’re not ever leaving. You’re staying right here with me. If you try, I’ll deal with you.”
