Page 89 of The Finish Line

“Nine people are guarding us, watching this house, two of them safeguard Cecelia at all times, some are combing the streets of this town for any possible threat. There are two drones in the air right now scanning every square foot of this land and the land around it.”

“Jesus Christ,” Diane sighs.

“You’re safe here. But if you feel more comfortable leaving, I’ll understand.” I scrape my top lip with my teeth, dreading my next confession. “And when you get home, I’ll have the birds who’ve been watching you two for years finally introduce themselves.”

Both of them whip their head in my direction, and I shrug. “I’m sorry, it was necessary.”

Diane’s eyes shine with a mix of shock and awe. “All this time, you’ve been protecting me?”

“I promised Roman I would protect his daughter, and that includes protecting you. And I have good reason to be equally invested in your well-being.”

She gazes up at me. “I knew when I met you that you were special, but this is some major overachieving, don’t you think?” It’s her first joke of the day, and I’m grateful for it.

“I’ll protect her with everything I’ve got.”

“Apparently, she’ll do the same for you. By the way, she gets her badass gene from me.” Another smile, another joke, and I’m pretty sure the wine is responsible.

“Of course, she does.”

“Tobias—” she starts again, her eyes softening substantially.

“No more tears, Diane, and no apologies. Okay?”

She nods. “I’ll try.”

“Goodnight.”

They give me a goodnight in unison as I walk into the darkened house, the only light on coming from the bedroom. I have no idea what I’m in for, but I slow my gait slightly as I make my way across the living room.

What in the actual fuck, King? Grow a set.

Speeding up my walk, I find her in the bedroom, staring down at her comforter as if it’s fascinating. I circle her waist and nuzzle her from behind. “I know it was a lot.”

She steps out of my hold, reeling on me, her eyes shooting blue daggers.

“What?”

“You met my mother, one of a thousand omissions you casually left out. Or how about this one: ‘hey, you know I’m the mastermind behind a secret society of vigilantes, but the President is a fucking part of it.’”

“I didn’t—”

“You had months to tell me these details when we. Were. Together!”

“Well, in those months, the fucking club was the last thing I wanted to talk about for the few hours I got to steal and escape with you. Up until I met you, my whole life was work. With you, I was selfish. I told you that. I’ve admitted it, I’ve apologized for it. But back then, in that time, with you, I was just... myself, me, Tobias. Just a man in love with a woman and loving the freedom I felt because of it.” I exhale. “I couldn’t risk telling you those details about Preston, Cecelia. I’d already handed you my own demise. And we were still undefinable at that point, all the way up until the day we imploded.”

“Preston,” she scoffs. “Even so, you still haven’t learned, have you? Secrets and omissions tore us apart before and will again.” Fury radiates through her frame as I try and stop the hemorrhaging before it starts.

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Won’t you?”

“I’m trying, Cecelia, so fucking hard.” Pulling off my hoodie, I run a hand through my hair before gripping the back of my shirt, tossing it off. Her eyes immediately drop, to the floor, disintegrating any hopes I had of resuming the intimacy we shared this morning.

Tempted to drive my fist through the drywall, I clench it at my side instead, as my frustration threatens to boil over.

“What you did today,” she says softly, “for my mother, was... indescribable, so... selfless, and one of the most incredible humane acts I’ve ever witnessed, which only made me love you more.”

I step forward, and she jerks her head back up, her eyes filled with accusation. “And you ruined it! You ruined it by being the same jackass you’ve always been!”

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