Page 89 of Hold Me Before You Go

All the color left her face, and the more I explained, the more ghost-like she became. However, I gave her the information like I would in a normal de-briefing and pushed my emotions aside the best I could, keeping my voice level. That proved to be even more difficult than normal when she scrambled off my lap and ran into the bedroom with her hand over her mouth.

I shot off the couch, running after her. “Carrie!”

She rounded the corner and hurried into the bathroom, slamming down to her knees in front of the toilet.

“Jesus,” I bit off, kneeling behind her and sweeping her hair up as she threw up the breakfast I’d made her this morning. I talked softly to her as her body convulsed, unable to take the news as I rubbed her back. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so fucking sorry,” I whispered.

She gasped for air and shook her head. “Don’t—don’t apologize forhim,” she seethed before throwing up some more. I continued to comfort her, soothing her, and when she was done, she rested her head on the toilet seat, breathing in and out through her nose.

I reached over, ripping the hand towel off the hook and leaning over her, gently wiping her mouth. She winced. “I can take care of this, Grayson. Go, please. You don’t need to see me like this.”

“Not going anywhere,” I murmured, setting the towel on the counter and grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste. She stayed where she was, brushing her teeth and spitting in the toilet bowl. When she was done, I placed the toothbrush back on the counter, unfazed.

“Come here,” I softly commanded, taking a seat behind her again. I pulled her away from the toilet, leaning back against the glass shower door, resting her back against my chest, her legs between mine.

“Grayson, I just puked my guts up—that isn’t something I want my boyfriend seeing,” she complained, trying to get up.

I pulled her back against my chest. “First of all, I’m a grown-ass man. I can handle some fucking puke. Second of all, I’m not your boyfriend. I’m your man. Don’t introduce me as your boyfriend, or I’ll shoot someone,” I warned her.

“Grays—”

“—when this shit is all over, assuming I don’t go to jail, I’m putting a fat ring on your finger and giving you my last name. Until I’m declared your husband, I’m your man. We clear on that?”

She twisted her neck, looking up at me. My chest warmed. She had no idea how much I loved her, but I was ready to spend the rest of my life showing her, proving myself to her. “What the hell did you just say?” The question came out breathless and soft, heat rising in her cheeks.

I didn’t mind repeating it. “I’m putting a fat ring on your finger—”

“No, not that.” She paused, heat blooming in her cheeks. “Though I do love that. I’m talking about the you going to jail part.”

I raised a brow. “Carrie, I broke into a federal prison and cut out your dad’s tongue.”

“You didwhatto my dad’s tongue?” she breathed, trying to sit up.

For fuck’s sake.

I scratched my beard. “I’m sorry, Sunshine. I forgot to mention that part.”

She shot up from my chest, turning her upper body to me. “You forgot—Grayson, what the hell?”

“This is the time to remind you that two minutes ago, you wanted me to kill him,” I reminded her.

She opened her mouth and closed it several times before she threw her arms out. “I would like to be informed when you remove body parts from my family members.”

“Okay. I’ll send you a fucking email when I chop his hands off,” I muttered.

“Grayson!”

“Baby, what do you want me to say? The man fucking hurt you—tortured you for years and used you for his own gain. We were getting ready to leave, he’d given us the information we needed, and I was pissed and scared shitless.”

Her features softened.

I continued, throwing my hand out. “He was chained to a fucking desk, sitting three feet in front of me while my woman was God knows where. I wanted him to hurt, Carrie. So I took the thing he used to hurt you,” I declared, cupping her face. “I told you before: no one gets away with hurting you. No one.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of my apartment door crashing open cut her off.

Instantly, I pulled us both to our feet and shoved her behind me as I reached for the gun in the third drawer of the vanity, loading a bullet into the chamber before raising it to the doorway. Carrie was trembling behind me as I backed up, pressing her against the wall.

A second later, Jake’s voice boomed throughout the space. “Grayson! Get your ass in here!”

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