Page 55 of Bloom: Part 2

“I didn’t.”

“You promised me you wouldn’t go after the car. I watched you perform your ritual in front of me. We made love right where you vowed to obey me.”

“But you also heard me vow to protect you. They took something from you. I had to get it back.”

“No, you could have listened to me when I told you the car wasn’t important. You don’t get it, do you, Bloom?” I took up his hand and kissed the ring on his finger—his engagement ring. “You mean the world to me. Do you think if something worse had happened to you that the car would have been a comfort? Bloom, baby, sweetheart, I don’t want to live without you, and it absolutely terrifies me when you’re reckless. You make me want to tie you to the bed before I leave the house just so I know you’ll have to stay put until I get back. Is that what you want?”

“I don’t mind being tied up.”

“This is not the time for jokes.”

“Sorry.”

“I don’t think you are.”

“I really am.” He clenched his fingers around mine. “I know you believe the worst, but I didn’t go to have a fight. Not that I didn’t want to, but I heard your voice in my head, and we were all polite and shit when we asked for the car, but he got scared and thought he could use my body as a swinging door to escape.”

“Did Gunner really smash his kneecaps?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

Bloom leaned back, his eyes roving my face. “Why do I feel like you became an entirely new person today?”

“How so?”

“I’ve never seen you so angry. You just lost it and wouldn’t listen to reason. For a second there, I thought you were gonna start swinging that hammer at Gunner’s head. You smashed your car. The car I’d just stolen back for you. Now it’s useless.”

“Good riddance. I could never look at it and not think of how foolish you were today.”

“Some would have called me heroic.” He pouted.

I tugged on his lip. “Foolish,” I repeated. “Does your chest hurt?” When he hesitated, I tipped his chin. “Tell me the truth.”

He grimaced, shoulders slumping as he leaned into me. “Yeah, it does. Really bad.”

This time I managed to tamp down the anger. “I’ll give you some painkillers, and then I want you in bed for the rest of the day.”

“But we have plans for dinner.”

“Screw the plans, Bloom. Your health is more important.” I patted his back and gentled my tone. “I’ll order in, and we can eat dinner in bed, okay?”

“Okay.”

17

BLOOM

Ashiver ran down my spine, prompting a low curse from Logan. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it around my shoulders to ward off the cold. “Didn’t I tell you to wear a jacket before we left the house?”

I didn’t expect it to be this chilly. It was the end of November. I’d done exactly what I’d set out to do—get Logan to fall in love with me. I’d not only survived another November but also had a repaired bullet-sized hole in my chest and a ring to show for it. My life was good.

“Yes, Logan.”

Yes, Logan.

No, Logan.

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