Page 97 of The Liar

I took her other hand, so I was holding both, and gazed into her eyes. “I’m so sorry for everything.” I wished I could kiss her, but I didn’t dare cross that line right now. “You’ve been through a lot and it’s all my fault. You’re officially free of me now, if you want to be, but I hope you’ll let me prove to you that I really do love you. I never lied about that, and my feelings for you haven’t wavered.”

My instincts were screaming at me to keep talking because as long as she stayed silent, she couldn’t actively reject me, but I forced myself to be quiet and give her a chance to speak, even as my heart hammered against my ribs threatening to break free.

To my surprise, she smiled and returned the pressure of my grip. “Whatever the personal consequences, we did something good. That’s what my job is about. Maybe I’d have preferred our relationship not start the way it did—”

I snorted. That was an understatement. But I shut up when she arched her eyebrows.

“But I know in my heart that you’re a good man and you were trying to do what was right in a difficult situation,” she continued. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and my muscles tightened in response. “The thing is, I never stopped loving you, even when I felt like I didn’t know you. Even when I wanted to hate you. That’s why your betrayal hurt so much.”

“Jo, I—”

She disentangled her hand from mine and pressed her finger to my lips. “Shh. Let me get this out.” She drew in a deep breath then released it. “I want to try being with you for real, but we’re not keeping up the facade of being married. Let’s date again.”

My heart swelled. “You mean it?”

She nodded, her lip caught between her teeth. “Don’t lie to me or I’ll end you.”

“I won’t.” I cupped her face between my hands and kissed her. She tasted of everything I loved. If I could bottle this moment up and make it last forever, I would. But then I’d miss out on a lifetime with her, and that seemed like a terrible loss.

Her lips curved against mine.

“What are you smiling about?” I asked.

Her smile widened. “Just wondering how I’m going to explain all this to my mama.”

I groaned. “She’s going to gut me.”

Mama Lee may be tiny, but she was scary as hell when she was mad.

“Could we just… not mention it?” I pleaded.

Joanna’s eyes gleamed evilly. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“Fine.” I slumped my shoulders. “I guess you deserve to have your fun.”

“Damn right I do.” Her smile changed into somethingsofter, and she kissed me again. “But at the end of the day, we’ll make it work, right?”

I kissed her beautiful face, silently thanking whatever fates had brought us together. “Absolutely.”

“Then that’s all that matters.” With one hand still linked to mine, she pushed open the closet door and we stepped out, startling an orderly who was scurrying past. “Shall we sneak home and take a nap before Dominguez calls me?”

“Only if I can hold you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to be so cheesy.”

I flashed her my teeth. “You love it.”

She didn’t reply, but her secret smile told me more than words.

We took the elevator to the ground floor, but as we were passing reception, a familiar figure came into view. Short, slightly plump, and with a voice they could probably hear the next ward over.

“Mamma!” I exclaimed.

Joanna’s eyes widened. “Mamma?” she echoed.

Mamma swung toward us. “Weston! There you are.” Tears shimmered in her eyes, and my gut dropped. “All I’ve been trying to do is see my son and these ridiculous people wouldn’t tell me where you were.”

I opened my arms, and she threw herself into them. I caught her and she squeezed me so tightly I winced, my battered body instinctively recoiling.

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