Page 117 of Crave

That gets her.

She winds down the window.

“I don’t need saving, Alexei,” she shouts.

Sliding off the front, I approach her window and place my hand on her cheek, wiping away a tear.

I’m going for a new technique. She’s right. She is strong and brave. This isn’t about that.

And she likes my dominant side. So I lean on that.

“I’m not rescuing you. I’m loving you. There’s a difference. Now turn around, get that fine ass back to the house and we can talk there if you want to. Regardless, you are coming home to me. Okay?”

She sniffles and nods.

Poking my head through the window, I kiss her. “I love you, pchelka. Always remember that. No matter what.”

Resting my forehead against hers, I kiss her one last time on the temple. “Please, baby. No more running, only back home to me. I need you too.”

When she nods, I walk back to my bike. Her blinker leads her back onto the freeway, and turns left towards our street.

Good girl.

CHAPTER 56

LARA

Song- Sleep token- Fall For Me.

I get back homebefore he does. But he isn’t far behind, so I fill up two glasses of water.

He stalks towards me and cups my face in his hands.

“Let me get those damn birds outside and then we can talk, okay?”

All I can do is nod, I don’t know what to say.

“I love you, baby,” he whispers.

I close my eyes as he kisses the top of my head.

After he causes a commotion outside herding his flamingos into the yard, he wipes the sweat from his forehead and grabs his water before joining me on the couch.

“Come here.” He holds his arm out and I scoot over into his comforting touch.

“I never went behind your back to speak to Sofia. It was an off hand comment she took and?—”

“Stop.” I cut him off. “I don’t really think you two are conspiring against me. Your hearts are both in the right place, I know that. This is my fault. It’s on me.”

He strokes my shoulder.

“From what I’ve researched, this isnotyour fault.”

I shrug, holding back the tears.

Wait, he’s been studying to try and help me?

“It’s my brain I can’t fix. My insecurities.”

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