Page 41 of Absolution

“Not any?” He was pleased to hear her sincerity, but there was no getting away from the way he’d treated her, to begin with. “I was an asshole to you at the start, little girl.”

“Yes,”—her breath was warm on his chest—“you were, sir, but I know I wasn’t the easiest person to deal with, and Iforgive you for those things. We did what we did, but I want to move forward with you.”

“I’m so happy to hear you say that.” He tugged her hand to his mouth and grazed a kiss at her knuckles. “I won’t stop trying to make it up to you, and I swear, whatever happens, Iwillprotect you.”

His stomach knotted at the idea of how close he’d come to something bad happening three days ago.Collinshad been in the apartment while they slept. Anything could have happened…

“I know.” She snuggled closer. “I trust you, sir. I’m not worried about my safety.”

“That’s good.”But I am.He held back from vocalizing the final three words, though they played out in his head as he met her eyes.

Hewasworried. Worried the new security provisions wouldn’t be enough, worried that he should already have moved them somewhere else, worried they were vulnerable.

“I still wonder if we should have gone to another one of my homes, though.” He might as well seize the chance to have the conversation with her one more time. “There are other places in the city, or we could go elsewhere. I—”

“No.” She rose from her place at his chest. “Honestly, sir. I’d like to stay here.”

She’d said so before, but he didn’t really understand her motivation.

“Why, Ella?” He lifted his hand to stroke the side of her face. “We could go anywhere. Hell, I could charter us a jet out of this place if you’d prefer.”

“Run away again, you mean?”

That wasn’t quite how he would have put it.

“I just want us to be safe.” He pressed his palm against her hot cheek. “That’s all.”

“I’m tired of running away from fights, sir.” She gripped his wrist. “Whoever broke in, whoever burned down your little house in the woods, they’ll just track us down somewhere else, and this will never end. I’d rather stay and face this threat together.”

Her tone never wavered as their gazes locked, and he was struck suddenly by how much older than her twenty-six years she seemed.

“How did you get to be so brave, little girl?”

She’d seemed so immature when they first met, yet now look at her. Wanting to stay and face Kenner’s menace was beyond brave. She had more balls than most of the men he’d served with.

“I guess I’ve been hanging out with this ex-soldier a lot recently.” She shrugged. “Maybe that’s why?”

“I don’t think so.” His hand slipped to her nape and tugged her closer. “I can’t take credit for the person you are, little girl. This is all you.”

Tucker had no way of knowing for sure who’d slipped into the apartment while they’d slept, but the cowardly act hadall of Collins’ hallmarks. He’d broken in, intending to create menace and fear, but hadn’t demonstrated the courage to actually face his foe.

I should have dealt with Collins years ago.

Whoever had risked his life scaling the building to get into the apartment, Tucker knew that the real threat came from Kenner. Kenner—the man who seemed to have despised him from birth—was the man he thought had fathered him and who’d murdered his mother.

Kenner had sent him a warning with the break-in—a sign for Tucker to watch his back—and that was precisely what he would do.

Caressing the side of her face, he was resolved to run with Ella’s philosophy. There was no need to run. If and when the threat came calling again, he would be waiting, and next time, he wouldn’t let the bastard get away.

Part Three

The Climax

Chapter Sixteen

The Deadly Present

Ella

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