Page 62 of The Player

Taking a step closer to her, I watch Bryson standing there. Staring. Guarding. He won’t let anything happen to us, but one word from me, and he’ll react.

“But you…” The door opens to the backseat, and Lennox gets out.

“Lennox baby, stay in the vehicle.”

“Mom, please.” I look at him and he smiles. But he’s trained on Julie. He doesn’t understand why she’s scared of me. And I don’t blame her. Not one bit.

While Julie is distracted, I walk up to her and grab her. “I love you, Julie. From this day forward, I will care for you and Lennox forever. You’re my life.”

She’s still very rigid, but I feel her shoulders move downward as she trembles in my arms. “Please, Ju-Ju.” Keeping the conversation between just me and her, I kiss her ear.

“I need time to think, A-bear.”

If she would have called me Aaron, I would have given her the time. But she called me A-bear. It’s going to be a long day for her.

“Get in your car, Julie. We are going home.”

Lennox tugs on my arm, and I look at him. “Can we go home now?”

A laugh erupts from Bryson, and we all look at him. “The kid has more sense than both of you. I’ve called Kaylee. She’s going to pick me and Lennox up. This means Julie can follow us, and then Aaron, you bring up the rear. Now enough chit-chat out in the fucking open.”

We all stare gaped-mouth at him. “Now, wait a darn minute. I don’t have to do anything. I’m taking Lennox…”

I kiss her with everything in me to keep her from continuing. Maybe it’s an ass move, but I want her, and I’ll be damn if I let her get away from me again.

* * *

As we get home, I am on her instantly. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go. And if she thinks I’m going to let her leave me with my son, she has another thing coming. I know I should tell her I’m sorry. I won’t do anything else ever again, but I can’t because I won’t lie to her. If anyone hurts her or Lennox, I’ll end them. I won’t fucking apologize for the way I am willing to protect them.

Holding her neck, I barely contain my rage as I lock the door. “You were going to leave me, Ju-Ju.”

Her eyes grow big, but I see the lust in them. “Yes. I needed time to think. You have to understand that.”

“I do understand that, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Or allow you to leave. I should. This I know, but I won’t. Leaving me and taking my son from me again? No. I draw the line there.”

My words seem like they are slap to her because she flinches. “I wasn’t taking him away from you again. You left me, remember?”

The fire is in her eyes and I moan. Damn it. Now’s not the time to get horny. “You are right. I shouldn’t have disappeared all those years ago. I should have been a better fucking man, but I’m not. I’m sorry.”

She gasps and looks at me.“I…I can’t believe you apologized.”

A laugh slips through my lips, and I shake my head. “Well, I did. Now, let’s discuss what you need to think about.”

“I don’t know if I can get over you being a killer.”

Running my thumb along her chin, I kiss her lips. “Sugar Plum, if anyone even looks at you wrong, I will take care of them. There isn’t a second of any day that I won’t make sure you and Lennox are safe. If that makes me a bad man, then so be it. But you are mine, and I take that seriously.”

Julie sniffles, and I smile at her. “It’s going to be alright, Julie. I promise you, I will not harm you or Lennox. God, I’d rather die than let anything or anyone hurt you.”

“I know.” She looks away from me and I wonder what’s the problem. If she knows I’m not going to hurt her, then what’s the issue?

“I‘m lost, Ju-Ju. What’s going on?” Peppering her face with kisses, I give her time to answer me.

“How can you be lost? You killed someone.” Her voice gets high-pitched, but she moves into my touch.

“Yes, for you.” Not that it makes it any better, but she has to understand she’s everything to me. “Dammit, Julie, I’m not sorry about it. I will never be sorry. If you can’t understand how much your being safe means to me, then I’ll walk away.”

That’s all I got. If she truly doesn’t want me or can’t get over this, I won’t force her to be with me. At least not right this moment. Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I’ve stalked this girl since before we were both legal adults. I’ll continue to do it until she can forgive me. Or until I convince her that she can’t live without me again.

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