Page 58 of Fighting Fate

“Fine.”

Willow pulls back as if to get a better look at me. “Fine?”

“You handle it, but I’m going to make sure you have the fucking upper hand.”

“Why do I have a feeling that I’m handling it your way? You’re bossing your way around this…around me.”

I am, and I won’t back down from this. I’ve always made sure Orla can handle herself, and I’ll be damned if I don’t do the same for Willow. I’m not going to shrug this off and bury my head in the sand.

“I’m a fighter, Willow. I don’t play these games, because shit like this festers, and the bottom line is that if you fuck with me, I’m gonna come for you. So you wanna handle the bastard, that’s cool.”

“It is?” Surprise scrunches her face as I hold it in both of my hands. Wide eyes flit between mine, searching for a catch. “That’s it? You’re going to let me deal with this.”

“Yeah, I am, and I’m going to make sure you have the fucking upper hand. Ain’t no fucker gonna touch you or hurt you on my watch. All right?”

After a long pause and visible deliberation, she nods.

“Good girl.”

“Why do you always get your way?” she groans into my chest as I pull her into me.

Fuck, if she only knew what my way would’ve been, maybe she’d be running from me as fast as she could. As it is… “This isn’t about my way, babe.”

“No?” she scoffs lightly. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“No.” I shake my head, tilting her face to mine.

A slight smile quirks the corners of her mouth as I press a kiss to her forehead and then trail another to the tip of her nose.

“This is me, Willow, looking after you. You gonna trust me to do that?”

Her nod eases the vice in my chest somewhat. And when I lift her into my arms, she wraps her legs around me tight. It’s impossible to ignore the pull of our closeness, the need of our bodies as we get into bed and tangle around each other. We’re total opposites, but somehow, we’re the most perfect fit. And nothing is going to ruin that.

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