Page 62 of Unexpected Heroine

Until now.

Lettie’s kissing away the agony. The suffocation. The blinding rage.

For the first time, I see light at the end of the tunnel. And it’s not an oncoming train.

At least, I don’t think it is.

It’s hope.

Pure and raw.

Hope that she might have the capacity to forgive me once I confess my sins.

She knows my name isn’t James. She knows I’m dangerous. Knows I have secrets. And she’s still letting me hold her. Letting me kiss her.

And love her.

As if that wasn’t miraculous enough, she’s given me permission to do what I need to do. To right the wrongs committed against her.

And I thought I couldn’t love her more.

She pulls her mouth away from mine, inhaling a hiss of air through her teeth. Her face pinches into a grimace.

“What’s wrong, sugar bear?”

“My ribs.”

Instantly, I loosen my grip around her. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

Fuck.

What the hell is the matter with me? My panic over everything I saw on that drive has rendered me a fucking wreck. And now I’m hurting her.

Get it together, man.

“Shh.” She cups my cheek, managing a tiny smile. “Don’t apologize. I was holding you just as tightly. You’re worth some achin’ ribs.”

The fact that she must accept physical pain to be in my embrace brings the fury back to the surface again.

I manage to keep it under lock and key long enough to focus on taking care of her. “What can I get you for the pain?”

“I only need you.”

In an instant, my lips return to hers. There’s no way I can resist kissing her again after that. This time, however, my grip is less insistent, and I shift my hands to avoid her tender spots.

Her kisses are laced with a hint of salt from her tears. But it does nothing to dull her sweetness.

Each moment she’s in my arms reminds me that she’s no longer suffering like she was in that video.

When I break away this time, her eyes flicker open slowly. The movement—so familiar and tender—only serves to draw my mouth back to hers for one more kiss. After what I saw in that fucking recording, I need this. I need to reassure myself she’s no longer living through hell.

She’s safe.

Bringing my forehead to rest against hers, I hold her close and breathe her in, letting her presence soothe the savagery brewing inside me.

It almost works.

Until my memory flashes with the image of what she went through. It feeds the beast inside me, fueling my need for vengeance.

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