Page 88 of Stealth Mission

“I’m sorry, Mari. I’m so damned sorry. I know this doesn’t mean much, but I was going to tell you. I meant to tell you before we…”

I swallow, fisting my hands. When I speak again, my voice is strained. “I’m not going to call what we did fucking.”

It’s hard to even say the word and think about her. I clear my throat to move the lump that’s blocking my airway. “Because that’s not what it was.”

She shakes her head, making her hair slide along her back in a long dark wave. But her eyes stay down as she continues to stride down the sidewalk. “Pretty lies, Walt. I mean, Evan. Whoever you are. You sure do have the gift for deceit.”

Fuck.

I know better than to reach for her, but I do. The instant my fingers wrap around her wrist, a flood of hurt crashes over me. “You have every right to feel this way.”

Using the back of her other wrist, Marianna dabs at her eyes.

Every tear slices me. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I never meant to hurt you.”

A little sob jerks her body, but she keeps on walking. “I can’t believe I’m crying on Main Street.”

“Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

The next few seconds are agonizing. Biting her lip, she looks away. Her strides slowing.

“Marianna, I have so much to say. Let’s find somewhere quiet so I can explain everything.”

She goes rigid, her eyes arcing toward me as she pulls against my hold. But she doesn’t pull hard, and there’s no steam behind her words. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I tug her arm gently. “Come here.”

Quietly, she protests. “What are you doing?”

“You need this.Ineed this so fucking bad.” I stop and pull her slowly toward me until she's against my chest. When I wrap my arms around her, she grips my shoulders fiercely.

I close my eyes and don’t open them until she buries her face in my chest and starts to cry.

“I’ve got you.”

My throat stings as I wrap my hand around her head and hold her to me. I did this to her.

A shudder starts in my spine. Makes my arms shake as my mind races.How can I fix this?

“People are going to talk.”

I grumble, “Like I care about that.”

There are eyes on us. Openly staring, this time. I could give a flying fuck. I let them feel the weight of my glare as I rock her back and forth until she finally takes some stable breaths.

When she pulls away, I wrap my palms around her cheeks, stroking her velvet skin with my thumbs.

The sheen in her eyes breaks me all over again.God. Dammit.

As if a giant cog is turning in the universe, something clicks into place. She’s my one.

The ONE.

A new kind of shudder runs through me. No. It’s impossible.

This can’t be happening. It’s not supposed to happen. I can’t be in love.

She makes a little sound and what I see in her gaze matches the alarm I think is in mine. It’s like we’ve been struck by the same lightning bolt.

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