I knockon the bathroom door before I open it. “It’s just me, baby. We are safe now.”

She leaps at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I flinch, but it feels so fucking good to have her in my arms again. I push through the pain and cradle her head in my hands, crushing my lips against hers.

“Alan is dead,” I say between kisses. “Killian just shot him.”

“Alan was inthishouse?” she asks incredulously.

“Yeah, we are going to be reorganizing security around here. Clearly, there was a major breach. Killian is ready for heads to roll.”

“Is Selena okay?” she whispers her name as if she is in the next room.

I laugh. “She’s fine. A little shaken up, but she’s used to this. Her dadwasthe head of the Cuban mob in Miami.” I look down at her hand. You took your IV out?”

A sly smile spreads over her face. “Yeah. I wasn’t going to be attached to a pole if someone happened to get in.”

I kiss her forehead and pull her to my side. “You are something else.”

“I thinkyouare. You ripped your IV out and went all caveman on me,” she giggles. It is so nice to be able to hear that laugh and see that smile again. The last 24 hours have been such a nightmare.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask more seriously now.

“How about we get you back in bed, and then you can ask me,” she deflects.

“No way in hell am I staying in this room after tonight.Weare going back to my room. Just answer me one thing. Did you kiss Killian earlier?”

She tenses beneath me, already answering my question.

Fuck him.He’s playing games now.

“He kissed me,” she admits. “It’s when he told me not to give up on him.”

“I think you need to set him straight, baby. We’ll do it together. He thinks you will give him a chance to make things right.”

“He is probably not in the best mood right now.”Why is she making excuses?

“Madison.Look at me. Are you going to be giving him another chance? You keep deflecting.”

“I’m tired, Liam. Let’s just go to bed. Tomorrow I’ll be able to figure it all out. I don’t know where my head is at.” Her words are like a slap to my face.

“I can’t watch you be with him. I already did, and look where that got us. It’s either him or me,” the words fly out of my mouth.

“Liam…”

“I can’t even believe this,” I say, shattered. “Ya know what? Why don’t you sleep in the guest room tonight and think on that. Maybe we all need a bit of space.” I storm off to my bedroom.

* * *

It’safter midnight when my door cracks open. I see her silhouette in the doorway from the hall light.

“Liam…can I sleep with you, please? I don’t want to be alone,” she whispers at the threshold of my door.

“Don’t want to bealone,or do you actually wantme?” I grumble.

“I want you,” she says with finality.

My heart leaps at that. I’ve felt like complete shit since our conversation. I shouldn’t have left things off that way. I didn’t mean them. I would wait an eternity for her. This situation sucks in general. From the looks of things, she was done with Killian. I want to know what changed earlier.

“Come here, sweetheart,” I say, patting the bed.