Page 286 of By His Rule

An unexpected laugh bubbles out of me. “I guess that’s something we’ll both have to get used to. I’m going to fuck up, Lorelei. I’ve no idea how to do this.”

She closes her eyes for a beat before staring back up at me.

There are so many emotions swimming in her eyes I don’t stand a chance of identifying them.

“I’m serious, Kian,” she states.

“I know,” I assure her, although I’m not entirely sure what I’ve done. “But I’m okay with that. Be mad. Shout at me. Scream. Hit me if you want. I came here for you, to tell you how I feel, to tell you that this is real, to tell you that I’m yours. If you want me. Fuck everything else.”

“You blocked Ryder on my cell,” she seethes.

“Ah, yeah. I did do that.”

She shakes her head, her anger palpable.

“Why?” she whispers.

I smirk. “Because you’re mine, Lorelei. Mine. Not his.”

“I’ve never been Ryder’s, Kian.”

“Maybe not, but you were sending him photographs of something that belongs to me.”

“I’m not yours either,” she argues.

“Maybe not, but you’re going to be.” I search her eyes, needing her to see just how serious I am. “I blocked Matt, too. I don’t see you arguing about that one.”

“No. I should have done that myself a long time ago. But it probably has a lot to do with the state of my apartment last week. Has your team found him yet?”

My nostrils flare. “You know they haven’t,” I confess.

“And you think that’s okay?”

“No,” I bark a little too forcefully. “It is not okay. Nothing is okay while he’s out there and could possibly hurt you.”

My hand trembles where it’s still holding her neck. The thought of him getting anywhere near her makes me feral.

That’s the exact reason why I insisted that we weren’t calling the authorities. He’d have been let off with a slap on the wrist and be free to continue tormenting her.

I want him gone. And I want him to face the wrath he deserves for hurting her.

“He won’t?—”

“He might, and that’s not fucking happening, Lorelei. I’ll do anything in my power to protect you. Anything.”

Tears continue to fill her eyes, but she manages to keep them contained for now.

“What do you want, Lorelei? Forget your fears and apprehension. What do you really want?”

She lowers her eyes as she continues to fight between her head and her heart.

All I can hope is that her heart wins this time.

My thumb brushes over her cheek, reminding her that I’m here and praying that she can feel how desperate I am to hear her give us a chance. A real chance.

It feels like an eternity has passed when she lifts her eyes again.

My heart jumps into my throat as I wait for her answer.

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