Page 80 of Vicious Sabotage

When she made a soft sniffling noise, his heart squeezed like a fist. “You’re crying.”

Tears wet his chest where she rested her head. “I thought you left me, like everyone else has.”

“Oh, darlin’.” He lashed his arms around her. “We’re together. It’s going to be all right.”

“What did they do to your wrists? Did they cut you?”

He jolted at her question. Of course she wouldn’t know the details.

“No, love. They chained me up. I yanked until I managed to break a link and free myself.”

She hiccupped. “You did?”

Brushing his thumb across her plump lips, he stared down at her. “I would rip apart anyone in my path to get to you, Livia. Don’t you see how much you mean to me?”

She reached up to touch his face and what must be the worry lines etched as a deep bracket around his mouth. “I thought I lost you.”

“You didn’t, love. I’m here to stay.”

Stillness came over her. He wouldn’t put it past her to overthink their relationship right now.

“How can I make it up to you? How can I ever get you to trust me to take care of you?”

She searched his eyes. “It wasn’t your fault. Six men jumped you, Carver. How could you ever fight them all off?”

He didn’t tell her that he’d done similar before. But the guilt sweeping over him made him hold his tongue. Guilt over what happened during that strike. All those men he could have saved and hadn’t been able to. Men who were under his leadership.

He’d failed Livia in the same way. If she ever forgave him for it, he would strive every day to let it go and forgive himself.

And if she didn’t?

His heart lurched, and his gut clenched.

“I promise you, Livia. I’m never leaving you again. I’m going to be right here—with you—as long as you’ll have me.”

He felt a shiver move through her, but she didn’t respond to his vehement vow.

After several minutes, he felt her tense. Then she rolled out of bed.

He caught her before she could reach for her clothing. Her eyes widened.

“Carver…”

“Talk to me.”

But he saw that she’d already put up a wall between them and was done talking.

He steeled himself. That was okay—he was good at smashing down walls too.

He’d never stop fighting for Livia.

Chapter Eighteen

Livia tucked her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The view from the deck of the Graceys’ house took her breath away.

In the fading light of the setting sun, the green fields seemed to glimmer in the heat of the day. The cows grazing peacefully were oblivious to all the danger surrounding them.

On the Gracey. In Badlands.

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