Page 80 of Promise Me Forever

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “It wasn’t a full-blown attack. A cardiac event, he called it. But it was his heart, Amelia. His fucking heartagain. He was in the hospital for two days, and the sneaky fucker didn’t tell any of us. Mason picked him up yesterday, and neither of them bothered to tell the rest of us until today.”

It doesn’t excuse his top-tier ass-hattery today, but a swell of empathy has me taking his hand in mine. He’s been worried about my mom while his dad has been ill. “I’m so sorry, Drake.”

He nods, his throat working as he swallows. “I’ve warned him about his lifestyle and that he needs to take better care of himself, but Dalton James knows best and everyone else can get fucked, right? I mean, does he even give a shit about us if he won’t take care of his health?”

“I’m sure he doesn’t see it like that. Sometimes it’s hard for people to change,” I say, incapable of ignoring the rawness in his voice. That’s what today has all been about—his little performance out there in the rain, his coldness this morning. He was attempting to hide this deep-seated anguish. “Did you argue with him?”

“Worse. I called him a selfish asshole and stormed out of the house. Then Nathan and Mad called me and told me I was being a prick, and I felt like nobody understood how bad this could have been. When Dad and Mase showed up earlier, I called them a pair of selfish assholes, and Dad’s blood pressure shot through the roof. I thought he was going to have anothercardiac eventright there in my office.”

He’s been dealing with all of this on his own. Unnecessarily so, but still. “Oh, Drake.”

He runs a hand over his face. “Yeah, I know.” He fixes his dark eyes on mine. “But none of that excuses the way I behaved toward you today. As upset as I was with my dad and brother, I shouldn’t have taken any of that out on you.” He laces his fingers through mine. “It’s not enough to simply say I’m sorry, but I am.”

I chew on my lip and try to ignore the pull I feel toward him. I see now there are valid reasons for his bad mood, for the way he’s behaved, but is this how it’s going to be for us? Every time something happens in his life that he doesn’t like, is he going to shut me out like that?

“You treated me like crap today, Drake. I understand why you were upset, but if you’d told me what was happening, I would have been there for you the way you’ve been there for me. To talk it through and support you.”

He nods sheepishly. “I’m not used to having someone I can lean on like that, Amelia. At least outside of my brothers. It’s no excuse, but I am sorry.”

I shake my head. He doesn’t get to be forgiven so easily. “It wasn’t just that you shut me out. You embarrassed me in front of your family. You took your pain out on me. I’d do anything for you, Drake, but I won’t be your emotional punching bag, no matter how much I love you.”

The words slip out without warning. I’ve thought them so many times that I’m amazed it didn’t happen sooner. I clasp my hand over my mouth as though trying to chase them back in. Is there any chance that he didn’t hear? Can I backtrack? And failing that, maybe I could open the car door and do a tuck and roll into traffic like they do on TV.

He stares at me, a frown on his face, and a sense of dread settles over me. I’ve gone too far. It’s too early for love—he’s not ready. He may never be ready. I walked out of that building full of fire and fury, but if this really is the end, I don’t know how I’ll cope.

“You love me?” he says, his voice low and intense. I close my eyes and will myself to become invisible. He takes hold of my jaw again, like he did outside in the rain. “Amelia. I asked you a question. Do you love me?”

“Yes,” I say, slapping his hand away and finally giving in to the tears that have been threatening all day. “Yes, I love you, you infuriating asshole! Believe me, right now I wish I didn’t—but I love you, Drake James. With all my stupid, foolish heart.”

A slow smile creeps across his face, and a rumble of laughter fills the back of the car. I tell him I love him, and he laughs at me? What the hell?

“Good,” he says, dragging me into his arms and holding me there even as I struggle against him. “That’s good to know, Miss Ryder.” He cups my cheek much more tenderly than before while he stares into my eyes. “Because I love you too. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my entire stupid, foolish life.”

If he weren’t staring at me the way he is, his eyes filled with so much longing and desire, I might think I misheard him. The man who didn’t even do relationships only a few short months ago loves me? Drake James—billionaire sex god with a magical tongue, a smile that can melt my ovaries, and a laugh that can make me forget my own name—loves me?

“You do?”

“I do.” He seals his lips over mine and kisses me so hard that I almost forget what we were arguing about.

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

DRAKE

Iwake up in her bed with her back snuggled into my chest and my arm slung around her. My thigh is over her hip, like I was trying to hold onto her even in my sleep. Why wouldn’t I want to keep this incredible woman as close as humanly possible?

I inhale the scent of her shampoo and rest my cheek against her bare shoulder. She’s so soft. So warm. Somine.

I thought things were good between us before, but now that I know she loves me? They’re un-fucking-believable. I think I said it to her a million times last night. That and how sorry I was for acting like a pathetic asshole. I said it while I was eating her pussy and while I was fucking her. I said it while she sucked my cock. I love her, and there’s no going back from this.

My hand coasts down her arm and slides across to one of her perfect tits. I hold it in my palm, letting my fingers gently toy with her nipple. She’s still asleep, but even now, her body responds to me, the sensitive skin puckering beneath my touch. She murmurs and wriggles slightly, her ass pressed up against me in a way that makes me feel a lot less gentle. Yeah, I love her, but I still want to rail into her like an animal.

I kiss her neck, my lips barely there, and work my way to her shoulders, listening to the small mewling sounds that she makes as she starts to wake up. Maybe I should have let her sleep, but I’m too much of a selfish asshole. I want her now.

She turns her face to mine, her eyes still half closed and a sweet, sleepy smile on her lips. “Well, good morning, man that I love,” she says, and both my heart and my dick swell. “You seem happy to see me.”

She rubs herself against me, and I growl under my breath. “I am, baby. I love you so much. But right now I want to fuck your brains out.”

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