Page 78 of Ten Hammers

Nauseous, I pass the phone back to Cruz. I do not look at him or Gunnar because I don’t care to see how they’re looking at me.

“Win–” Cruz begins.

I hold up a hand. “Don’t. It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m used to the online trolls. Let’s get back to work.”

“But–”

“Cruz, please.”

“Alright…” he says, but the hesitancy in his voice is real.

My face is crumpling, and I hurry back into the reno house before either of them see me ugly-cry. At least here I can pretend that a piece of sawdust in my eye is the cause of my tears.

But the door I close behind me opens a split second later, and Gunnar follows me inside.

I meet his gaze, expecting to see pity, but there’s only fire.

“Don’t you believe that bullshit, Winnie Olivia Wainwright.”

“Oh, you don’t want me to believe I’m overweight?” I roll my eyes. “Because I know I’m overweight, Gun. They are not saying anything that’s not a fact–”

“Bullfuckingshit. You’re perfect just the way you are, and that’s what I want you to believe, dammit.” His jaw works as he stares at me. The anger in his eyes is unlike anything I’ve ever seen from Gunnar before. “How fucking dare anyone on this goddamn planet make you feel otherwise.”

He strides towards me. He takes my face in his hands. I flinch.

My chins in his perfect hands.

Ugh. But still, from the way he’s holding me, I’m expecting the world’s most passionate kiss. Yet, he just looks at me.

And looks and looks. It’s like he’s trying to form a telepathic connection so that I won’t just hear his spoken words, but his thoughts as well.

So I’ll know he’s telling the truth.

“It was an unflattering picture,” he says. “It was deliberately chosen by the paparazzi scum because it looks like Theo and Leo were miserable with you while you were obviously having an amazing time. It’s a bullshit money-making ploy designed and executed by parasites. And people are pouncing on it, and being cruel, because people can be shits. But do you think Theo and Leo were miserable, Win?”

I’m suddenly exhausted. Even my tears are dripping from my eyes slowly, as if they don’t have the energy to go at it whole-heartedly. “Look, Gun, I just need to be by myself for a while. I’ll get over this, okay?”

“Nope.” He lets go of my face to take my hands. He lifts them to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. “You’re hurting and I’m not going to leave you alone. Sorry not sorry.”

“Gunnar–”

“Theo and Leo were with you because they wanted to be with you, Winnie. I will keep telling you this until hell freezes over or it sinks in, whichever comes first, but we all want you. Want you, Winnie. You have a beautiful soul, and it’s wrapped up in an equally beautiful body and I want you so damn bad.”

I swallow hard, my cheeks flushing from his words and his gaze, as he stares at me.

“I want you right this second.” His voice is growing huskier the longer he stares. “I want to show you how much I want you.”

I shiver and he then nods, as if he’s been having a silent conversation with himself. “Let me show you, Win.”

He dries my tears with his fingertips and kisses me. Then he unbuckles one strap of my overalls. “May I?”

“Um…”

He raises his eyebrows. “That a no, sweet girl?”

“Um…” I look around. “Here?”

His eyes twinkle mischievously. “Well, unless you want to wait until my secret project is done. I’m turning the basement into a sex dungeon complete with shackles on the wall and–”

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