Page 156 of Twisted Collide

“I understand.”

I understood more than he would ever know. It was the samereason I fell, the same reason I stood on that ledge. It was the same reason I continued to walk, even though I had no balance. I saw something inside him that scared me, and I knew he needed to be centered again. And I thought I could help.

“I hope Molly gives him what he needs.”

“I hope she does too.” I settle back into the bed and wonder what Molly will say to him. I wonder if he’ll let her in. My eyes close, and I feel weighted to the bed.

A few hours must pass, but my father remains by my side. A knock on the door has us both looking toward it. What time is it? Who would be here now? I look over at the clock and see it’s four in the morning. My father stands and goes to answer it.

When I hear the sound of footsteps, I look toward where my father left, but my father isn’t standing there when the shadow steps back into the light. It’s Dane, and he’s alone.

“Where’s my dad?”

“He wanted to give us a minute . . . I, uh, promised to be on my best behavior.”

“Why are you here?” My voice sounds foreign to me, gravelly and hoarse.

“I wanted to tell you how sorry I am.”

“You made it clear how you felt about me. I was the idiot who thought I could help.”

“And you can, and you did.”

“Sure doesn’t look like I did.” I gesture to the bed and hospital room.

“Well, maybe not the way you intended, but it knocked some sense into me. Made me see things clearly.”

“Oh yeah? And what did you see?”

“I realized I’m an idiot. I realized you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. That you make me laugh and smile. You give me peace, and it made me realize the most important thing.”

“And that is?”

“That I love you.” He steps toward the bed, taking my handin his. “You didn’t just force me out of my comfort. You collided with me, twisting my world upside down.” He brings it up to his mouth and places a kiss on my knuckle. “I love you, Hellfire. I love everything about you. And I’ll spend the rest of my days proving you aren’t a secret. You aren’t an afterthought. You are the thought, the only thought that matters. You’re everything.”

I think my mouth is broken because, for the first time in like forever, it doesn’t seem to work. It takes me a second to get my brain and mouth to work together, and I chalk it up to the fact I have a concussion.

“And my father?”

“We’ll tell him.”

“When?”

He smiles at me. “Now.” I shake my head. “No?”

“Look, I’m done. Done being put last on everyone’s list. I told my mother the same thing. From now on, you need to earn my trust. My love. My affection. And before you say anything about the fall, I’m not talking about the fall. I’m talking about the way you played with my heart and dumped me so fast, like I meant nothing. If I’m going to tell my father, it’s because we’re endgame.”

“We are endgame.”

“I’ll decide that. And I’ll decide it when I’m not laid up in a hospital bed with a concussion.”

“Got it. You need some good grovel.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“No, but it’s what you deserve. You need to know I’m all in, and I’m going to give that to you.”

He places one last kiss on my knuckle and takes a step back.

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