Page 205 of Deliverance

I allow the news to settle.

“Don’t think about him, okay?” Her tone changes to light and optimistic. “All that matters right now is that you’re alive. We’ll figure out the rest.”

“The rest?”

“The police—” She doesn’t finish the thought, because another knock comes and when the door swings open, it’s Zander’s face I see.

My heart flips and slams against my ribcage. Somewhere in the hallway, a second familiar male voice booms. I can’t place it, but I know I’ve heard it before. It belongs to someone I’ve met.

“Hi,” Zander whispers, holding my gaze and stepping inside.

“Hi.” I glance at my mother.

Getting the hint, she rises to her feet and readies to leave the room. “I’ll give you a couple of minutes alone.”

When she exits, Zander approaches me and pulls the chair she occupied toward the bed.

Silence blooms between us.

He sits with his body leaned forward and his elbows rested on his knees. The dark, bluish shadows beneath his eyes look like bruises, but upon closer inspection, I realize he’s just exhausted. His hair is mussed and slicked back. His clothes are covered in dirt and blood. A blanket is thrown over his shoulders.

“You came for me,” I breathe out after a while, my emotions pushing against my ribs and throat.

“Always.” He reaches for my hand and twines his fingers with mine.

“But how?”

“Preston.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. My brain can’t put two and two together.

“She found your studio in an unsatisfactory condition the morning you left me and raised hell.”

The mention of my less than adequate reaction to his proposal makes me feel so ashamed. “I love you,” I say. Each word is an effort, but I need him to hear it from me. And seeing the shift in his expression and the glint in his sky blue gaze is worth the pain.

Zander brings my knuckles to his lips and brushes a soft kiss over my skin. “I love you too.”

“I was stupid and selfish. I shouldn’t have freaked out the way I did when you gave me the ring. It’s beautiful, and I want to marry you, even if it’s too late and you changed your mind, I just want you to know …”

“We don’t have to talk about it right now, Drew.” He smiles.

“I do want to marry you.”

“We have all the time in the world.”

“What if we don’t, Zander?”

Confusion flickers across his face.

“What if I go to prison for killing Rhys?”

“You won’t. I’ve already reached out to a lawyer. He’s on his way here right now. We’ll speak to the police once he arrives, okay? They won’t charge you if the evidence shows it was self-defense.”

He’s so confident that I know for a fact he’s not lying and he’ll do everything in his power to make sure I don’t end up behind bars.

I draw a deep, calming breath. “Where are we?”

“Banning.”

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