Page 48 of His Dark Purpose

“So, you just watched me?” Mistrust echoed in her voice. It seemed to have become the soundtrack to their entire relationship. “You watched where I was and saw me sinking…”

“I always wanted to help you.” Jeez, he sounded pathetic. “It just had to be at the right moment, that was all.”

“And in the grocery store that day?” She heaved in air, as though she already knew the answer. “Did you plan that, or did we just run into each other by coincidence?”

“I followed you there.” He grimaced as he said the words aloud. “I wanted to speak to you. I’d decided I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“I was down to my last few pounds.” Her voice broke, though whether it was his truth or her exhaustion from the ordeal he’d put her through that caused the response, he couldn’t be sure. He didn’t know which was the better outcome. “I was desperate.”

“I waited too long,” he confessed, inching closer to hold her. “I’m sorry, Amy. If I could do it again, I’d do it all differently.”

“Would you?” The emotion flashing in her eyes was impossible to read.

“Yes.”

His tone was emphatic, and for the first time, there wasn’t a trace of doubt as he answered. He’d fucked up royally with Amy, and he would have done anything to have done better, to havebeena better version of himself.

“It’s not too late, little girl. Don’t give up on us.”

Chapter Seventeen

Ramifications

Amy

A million thoughts swirled in her head as he slid the tiny key into the cuff and finally liberated her aching wrist. She snatched the limb away, rubbing her tender skin while he slid the key back into his pocket.

“I fucked things up.” He glanced out of the window, apparently not wanting her to see the pain swimming in his eyes, but she wished he’d just relent and tell her how he really felt. Amy had all but given up on hearing such brutal honesty from Kyle, but since he was in a sharing mood, she’d have appreciated hearing every last bit of his truth. “I know that.”

“You certainly have an unconventional approach, sir.”

Glancing down at her wrist, she double-checked there were no cuts, but just like their owner, the cuffs were hard and unyielding but had left no lasting damage. She knew deep down that Kyle loved her—his actions and words since she’d arrived at Brock Hall were both a testament to his affection—but she’d never guessed the devastating backstory he’d been hiding.

The idea that he’d hidden, surveying her misfortune for years, stung in a way she hadn’t been prepared for. He’d stepped up to play her savior eventually—and for that, she would always be thankful—but only whenhedeemed it appropriate. Amy had been on the verge of homelessness before his intervention. She’d been at rock bottom before he’d chosen to help, having literally lost everything, save for a few lousy boxes of her possessions.

His plan stabbed at her self-worth, which had already teetered on the verge of collapse before he’d crashed into her life, rocking her to her foundations. If he could be so conniving and callous, how could she trust him going forward? How did she know he wasn’t concealing some other treachery?

“Is there anything I can do to make this better?” A deep crease appeared in his brow. “I want to fix this, Amy.”

She swallowed, trying to ignore the answer resounding it her head—there is no fixing this—and replace it with gratitude. He’d hurt her, but he hadn’t been the cause of her financial hardships, and she knew it.

“You’ve done so much for me already.” The pain of his deceit didn’t make the statement any less true. “You gave me somewhere wonderful to live, and you helped Jonah at his lowest ebb…” She inhaled. “I’m grateful for that.”

“You know helping him wasn’t about controlling you, right?” His lips curled. “I actually really like the kid and thought he deserved a second chance. I wanted to give him that.”

“Yeah.” Clutching the covers to her chest, she didn’t know if she truly believed his altruism, but she wanted to. Whatever his motivations had been, he’d rescued Jonah from a prison sentence and her from the prospect of having both her boys locked away—a reality she’d have found unbearable. As it was, Jonah was free, and apparently, so was Seth. Her brow rose at the thought of her eldest son. She hoped she’d be able to see him soon. “I can never properly thank you for that. The money might not mean much to you, but it’s made a world of difference to my family.”

“There’s no need to keep thanking me, little girl.” He dismissed her gratitude with a flick of his hand. “You’ve more than repaid me with your love and submission, both of which are worth more to me than money. I just want to know how I start to rebuild your trust.”

Her gaze flitted to his face, surveying the lines furrowing as he waited on her verdict. What the hell was she going to do? She didn’t know how she’d come to terms with what he’d told her—the dreadful feeling of violation that he’d been toying with her life from the shadows, deciding whether she was desperate enough for him to intervene—but equally, she couldn’t conceive a world that didn’t involve her charismatic lover.

Aside from her grown-up children, there was no one she loved more than him. The truth was, Kyle was more than only her benefactor—hewasher master—and try as she might, there was no getting over him.

She loved him, no matter what the sordid origins of the sentiment. The feelings he stirred were impossible to deny.

“So, where do we go from here, sir?”

It was strange to suddenly be the one with the power in her hands. She was so used to kneeling and waiting for his judgment that the change was as unwelcome as it was disconcerting. Staring at him, all she knew was she couldn’t give him up just to make him pay for his poor choices.

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