Page 96 of Theirs to Take

“Already?” she asked. “I thought that you’d at least save this speech for later. You do know that you don’t have to break up with me because we’re not together, right?”

“It’s not that kind of talk,” he said. “We aren’t breaking up because we have a child to raise together. Luke called and gave me some bad news.”

“Oh God, is Ruby all right?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s good. It’s about you. Do you remember why Luke and Ruby had to go on the run? They had a guy named Joo Wan who was looking for Luke. He thought that Luke had information about where his wife and two sons were.”

“I remember,” Millie said. “You called me and asked me to track them down, and I found out that his poor family was killed.”

“Right,” Ranger agreed. “I’m so sorry that I involved you, honey,” he breathed. “Wan is looking for you. He sent a couple of guys to McTavish and gave Luke his business card for you to get in touch. He wants to offer you a job.”

“A job doing what?” Millie asked.

“It doesn’t matter what he wants you to do,” Ranger insisted. “You won’t be taking his job. Nothing he’ll ask you to do will be legal and when he’s finished with you, he’ll get rid of you. You’ll end up like his wife and sons. I don’t want that to happen to you or our baby.”

“I agree,” she said, “I just can’t believe that he wants me to work for him. I didn’t do anything except hack into his government’s computer system to find out where his family was.”

“I’m guessing that they will want you to do a good bit of work like that, but I don’t want you involved with him,” Ranger said.

“So, now you’re telling me what to do?” she sassed. Ranger knew that the right answer was no, but he just couldn’t seem to help himself.

“Yes,” he growled, “I won’t let you work for him. It’s not safe.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. “It’s a good thing for you that I don’t want to work for that man,” she said. “I like my current job. It gives me flexibility.”

“And from the looks of this place, pays like shit,” Ranger added.

“What I’m being paid is none of your business, Ranger,” Millie spat. “I needed to make sure that I could save some money for when the baby gets here. Babies need a lot of stuff, and I was all alone in this.”

“And that’s on you. If you would have told me about the baby, I could have helped you, Millie. I’m going to help take care of our baby now, though,” he promised. “And whether you like it or not, I’m going to take care of you, Millie. I want to be a part of this, please, just let me in,” he begged.

She swiped at the tears that ran down her beautiful face and he groaned, crossing the room to pull her into his arms. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her and make her cry. “Don’t cry,” he ordered.

“I’m afraid,” she whispered.

“Of me?” he asked. She nodded and he took a step back from her, giving her some room. “What do you have to be afraid of me for?” he asked.

“I’m afraid that if I let you in and let you get close to me again, you’ll hurt me all over. You ignoring me the way that you did, Ranger, it broke my heart,” she sobbed. He couldn’t help himself. He pulled her against his body and held her close, and damn if she didn’t feel right there.

“I won’t do that ever again, Millie. I swear to you. If we’re being honest here, you scared me too,” he admitted. If he wanted a chance with Millie, he was going to finally have to come clean and that would involve discussing feelings and all of the shit that he usually tried to avoid.

“I did?” she asked, seeming a bit confused. “How did I scare you, Ranger?” she asked.

“That one night that we shared, I felt something for you, and it scared the hell out of me. It’s why I ran, like a coward, the next day, and shut you out of my life. I tried to tell myself that my job was to keep you safe. It’s what I promised Ruby and Luke but spending the night with you; that was for me. I wanted you, Millie. If I’m being honest, I still do. I’m just not very good at feelings and all that shit.”

She looked up at him and pressed her lips together, “You want me?” she whispered.

“I do,” he said. “Hell, I want you in my bed. I want you in my life. I want you, Millie. You’re the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever met and if I have to say it out loud then I will. I still have feelings for you and that still scares the hell out of me.”

“You think that I’m sexy?” she asked.

“So fucking sexy,” he growled.

“But my body is so different from the last time you saw it,” she whispered.

“I don’t give a fuck about any of that. Seeing you pregnant with my baby—with all of those sexy curves, I’m a mess, honey,” he said.

She crossed the room to pick up her cell phone from the counter. “What are you doing?” he asked.

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