Page 91 of Consume Me

“I’d protect her with my life.”

“Does she need a protector when she obviously wants something else?”

Those words slither down my back, stiffening my spine.

“I’d give her whatever she wants.”

“I see, but do you love my daughter, Blake?”

“I don’t know what that is, sir. I wish I knew, though—for her.”

Sadness washes over him. “I appreciate the honesty. You can see for yourself she’s fine. If she’s asleep, don’t wake her up.”

“I wouldn’t, sir.”

“But before that, tell me the reason for your late visit.”

“I got a message from my father. He’s going to try to take Mia from me. I can’t allow that, sir.”

His face pales. “Give me your phone. I want to see for myself.”

I don’t tell him that we’ve already tried to find out where the text came from. Perhaps if he’s busy finding a lead, I can stay in her room undetected, so I give him my phone.

“The door stays open,” he says.

I swallow a groan. “Of course, sir.”

I take the stairs two at a time, eager to finally see her. My pulse spikes, but everything in me calms down once I see her on her bed, reading. The room is small but inviting, with a comfy bed resting against the far wall, positioned directly across from the door and perpendicular to the floor-to-ceiling window that floods the place with natural light. An armchair and a small table sit in front of the window while a closet near the door completes the room. The whole space is done in warm, earthy tones.

I lean against the doorframe, admiring pure beauty and out-of-this-world perfection. I don’t deserve her, but I can’t stop myself from wanting her, either. I am done. Done pretending Ican stay away from her. Done telling myself I am stronger than this pull toward her. Just done.

“Stalking me?” she asks, looking up from her book, and I walk inside.

“You weren’t at the house.”

“You weren’t next to me when I woke up, either.” She drags her bottom lip through her teeth, and I take a seat on the edge of the bed.

“I could never leave you again. I promise that if I ever leave, it’s because you want me to go.”

Time stills as that connection between us latches around our souls, binding us together.

Longing fills my insides as I look at the empty side of her bed.

“You can’t sleep here.”

I groan. “I know.”

“What happened?” she asks, reading me too well.

How do you tell the girl you’d die for that your psychopath of a father plans to hurt you by hurting her?

Standing up, I rake both of my hands through my hair, and pace around. Ever since I got that text, an untamable fury has been steadily growing inside of me, making me want to raid the world until I find the motherfucker and kill him.

Not her. She is where I draw the line.

She tiptoes toward me as if I am a wild animal she doesn’t want to scare off.

“Tell me, please.”

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