Page 75 of Fire

“Stay away from you.”

Gwen’s whole body seemed to go rigid in his arms, but Blake didn’t let that stop him. “I don’t care anymore that I’m no good for you.”

“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”

Not able to answer that question among a roomful of people, he gave her a different one. “I lied to you. That day, when I sent you away. It wasneverjust sex. I’ve always wanted more.”

She shook her head. “No. You said you never lie. How do I trust what you’re saying now?” Her words were soft yet fierce, each one stabbing him in the heart.

He rested his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “Because I’ve been living in my own private hell without you.”

“Then why did you send me away?” Fuck, the hurt bleeding from her words ripped him to shreds.

He told her what he thought would ease the hurt. Let her know it was all on him not her. “It was what was best.For you.”

Her hands pushed at his chest, and he raised his head. Her eyes were hard, matching her tone. “How dare you.”

Her sudden anger surprised him, and it must have shown because she continued, “How dare you assume to know what’s best for me.”

“Gwen.” He brought a hand up to cup her jaw, but she batted it away, and that didn’t just rip at his heart, it cut.

And it cut deep.

“You hurt me.” Anger gone, agony filled her eyes.

He closed his, unable to stand to see her pain. “I know.” She would never know how much he hated himself for hurting her. “I’m sorry, I just…” He opened his eyes, his pleading with hers. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“All you had to do was talk to me.”

And therein lies the rub because if he had told her, he could’ve very well lost her anyway. He dropped his forehead to hers again, his head feeling too heavy for his neck to support. He realized too late his mistake. He’d been so worried he’d lose her, by pushing her away, he’d lost her anyway. But he’d do anything to get her back. He was willing to take any risk. And if that meant baring his soul, for the chance to keep her, then so be it.

Gwen was worth any price she’d ask him to pay.

“I’m ready to talk now.” He waited the length of five heartbeats—his was pounding so strong he was able to count them—and when she didn’t say anything, he filled her silence with a, “Please.”

Her body was still stiff in his arms, but he did hear a soft sigh. “Fine. We’ll go to your office.”

He shook his head, his forehead rolling back and forth across hers. “We can’t talk here. Come home with me.”

He got more silence for an answer, and he knew she was remembering the last talk they’d had there. “I promise. No more pushing away. This time it will be your decision if you choose to walk out the door.”

And he knew she gave in when she said, “I need to find Allie.”

Relief filled him, and he raised his head from hers. “I need to deal with Mr. Cooper.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

She didn’t sound concerned, so he didn’t sugarcoat his response. “Make him sorry he ever touched you.”

“Don’t kill him.” And from the look on her face, she was serious.

His head tipped back in a laugh. Damn, that felt good. “I missed that, too—laughing.” Then humor gone, he admitted, “I haven’t found anything funny while you were gone.” Pulling himself together he said, “I won’t kill him, but he will wish that I had.”

She didn’t ask for specifics, and he was glad for that.

“Come on, I’ll take you to Allie. We’ll leave in a few minutes.”

After depositing Gwen with a concerned Allie, Blake went straight to the security office—the only spot in the club besides his office that didn’t have cameras. He acknowledged the two bouncers standing in the room before his eyes landed on Dillan, sitting in a chair with Reggie at his side. The left side of Dillan’s face was fucked up from where he’d hit him, but the swelling and shadow of a bruise forming didn’t soothe his anger. It reminded him of why he’d punched the asshole in the first place and only made him want to beat the shit out of him more.

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