Page 35 of Love In The Shadows

“And you can’t leave? Can’t someone else come and take over? Like backup or something?”

It was even more of a Hail Mary than the first suggestion.

“I wish I could. But this is my case. I’ve been working on this thing for years, and I’m almost to the end of it—if things go like I think they will. It has to be me.”

“How much longer will you be here? In L.A.?”

He scrubbed a hand over his chin. “I don’t know. I have a feeling it will be another couple of weeks, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Richie drags this shit out just to fuck with me.”

I sighed. “I can’t go back…Bennett. Please, there has to be another way out.”

“What if it’s just for a few months?”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t think it works like that. It feels like an all-or-nothing kind of thing. Well…” I smiled softly. “Unless you run away, that is.”

“Hopeless rebel, huh, Tor?”

“Something like that.”

Bennett stepped closer, and this time, I didn’t flinch when he reached for me. His lips brushed against the top of my head, and I melted against his solid chest. My ear pressed to his heart, and I closed my eyes as the steady thrumming soothed my frayed nerves.

“I’m sorry this is so fucked up,” he said, his own voice thick with emotion.

“I never even thought I would see you again.”

He chuckled softly. “Now, I’m betting you wish you never had.”

I looked up, propping my chin on his breastbone. “Why would you say that?”

“Because I’ve torn up your whole life all over again.”

“You’re just trying to keep me safe.”

“Trying to keep us both safe.”

A sick sense of dread filled me at his quiet statement. I saw Bennett as an unshakable force. He was invincible. It hadn’t crossed my mind that he was in just as much—or maybe even more—danger as I was. If anything happened to him—no—I couldn’t let myself think about it. We might have been separated for a while, but now that we were together, it was impossible to think of losing him. He was the only thing that made me feel safe. Sane.

He was the only person who knew me.

Bennett brushed my hair back from my face and smiled down at me. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”

I nodded, and he dropped another kiss on my forehead. “I need to make some phone calls. I want you to stay here.”

“What kind of phone calls?”

“I have a buddy who works WITSEC protection details sometimes. He’ll have a better answer for me.”

I didn’t like the idea of him calling to inquire about putting me back in protection. It was the last resort in my mind. But I didn’t want to argue with him anymore. I couldn’t. The fight had drained out of me.

I stared up at him for a long moment but then sighed. “Fine. I need a shower.”

“All right. I’ll order some coffee and breakfast.”

I tucked my unruly hair behind my ears and gave him a nod. “I’ll be out in a little while.”

Before he released his grip on my shoulders, he pulled me closer and kissed my lips, lingering just long enough to remind me of why I was willing to trust him.

“Thank you, Tori.”

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