Page 33 of Amnesty

I waited until I truly meant the words, then spoke. “If this is what you need, then it’s what we’ll do.”

I saw hope surge in her eyes, which in turn lifted it out of the heaviest of emotion whirling inside me. “Really?” she asked, slight awe in her voice.

“I won’t ever deny you anything,” I vowed.

“Other than a trip to Rumor island alone.” She teased.

I glared. Now was not the time to jest. I was trying to be strong and romantic and shit. Besides, charm wasmything… not hers.

“Too soon?” she asked, a sparkle in her eyes.

Well, shit. Maybe charm was her thing, too.

I wanted to smile, but then I remembered what we were discussing. “If I’d known that paintball hit made you remember being whipped…” I felt my teeth bare. “That asshole wouldn’t have been able to walk out of there.”

“Another reason I didn’t say anything,” she quipped.

My eyes settled on her face. I needed her to understand. “I’m very serious when it comes to protecting you. Shielding you from any more pain.”

“I noticed.”

“I couldn’t stop what happened all those years ago, and I… I didn’t find you.” I swallowed. Knowing Am might have been so close ripped me apart. I hadn’t done anything. “But I swear to heaven and to hell, if anyone wants to hurt you now, they will go through me.”

“You’re pretty sexy when you’re all growly and intense.” Her arms wound around my torso.

I raised an eyebrow. “Growly?”

“It’s a thing.”

“A thing you just made up,” I deadpanned.

“But I like it. It turns me on.”

Well then. “I’ll allow it.”

“You really never see my scars when you look at me?”

Something inside me softened. “No, baby, I really don’t. And they don’t make you dirty. They make you more beautiful.”

Suddenly, fear crept into her tone. “I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.”

“Hey,” I purred. “You will never have to find out.”

She launched across the short distance between us, wrapping her body around mine. Want hammered inside me; the skin-on-skin contact we had was making me crave her.

Just as I thought about twirling around and tossing her down on the bed, she glanced up, eyes wide, full of energy. “Let’s go.”

“Go?”

“To Rumor Island.”

“Hell no!” I said, incredulous.

“But you said…”

“I said I understood. I did not agree to taking you across the lake in the middle of the night to an island I am unfamiliar with. Woman, you are out of your ever-loving mind.”

“We can’t call the police. Search parties take too long to organize. They’re loud. They’ll scare him away.”

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