Page 151 of Prey for You

It took a moment to brace, to turn and face her again.

Her eyes welled and her chin trembled. “You’d really leave? Just go back to prison… for me?”

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. “I told you, babe. I love you. I need you tostay alive.If this is what it takes… I’ll do anything—”

She gave a strangled little noise in her throat, then turned, her face twisting. At first I thought she’d attack me, but she grabbed those papers and tore them, swearing and sobbing the whole time, bending over to get leverage because there were a lot of sheets and she couldn’t rip them easily—then she started throwing the pieces and kicking them, and crying the whole time.

“I don’t want you in prison!”

I blinked. “But—”

“I never wanted you in prison—I said that!”

“I know, but—”

She gave a primal scream and threw the rest of the papers to the floor, then launched herself down that little hall and into my chest so hard I rocked back, my shoulders thumping against the door.

But she was here. In my arms. Sobbing. Clinging like a child.

She washere.

49. Safe – Part 1

SOUNDTRACK:In Your Eyes – 2012 Remasterby Peter Gabriel

~ SAM ~

My heart thundered in my ears and tingled in my skin.

“Sam—”

“Babe, are you sure? I want this. I want you. I want to be here, but—”

“I’ve missed you so much… but I’m scared,” she whimpered, her face buried in my neck. “Every time I’d think about calling, I’d remember that picture andyou didn’t tell me and—”

She cut off and pulled back, still holding me, still clinging, but her head pulled back and she met my eyes, her own shining with tears that trickled down her cheeks.

I stared back at her, letting her see me. Feel me.Know me.

She looked back and forth between my eyes like she was finding different answers in each. I held my breath and let her search. I’d grabbed her when she jumped at me and my fingers were digging into her ass. It was the best feeling in the world. But that fear was back in her gaze, and I knew… I had to wait. I had to let her run if she wanted to. We weren’t going to get past this as long as she didn’t trust me to go when she told me to.

Her throat bobbed and more tears fell over her lashes. “Sam, I’m so scared.”

“Me too, babe,” I whispered honestly. “But it doesn’t change that I love you.”

“Doesn’t it?”

“No.”

She swallowed again, eyes still locked on mine.

“My father… How many times did you see him?”

“Just that one time.” Then I remembered the call, and my body went tight. This was so fragile. She was still thinking. If she heard…

But what choice did I have?

I swallowed back my fear and prayed. “But when I said my number was compromised, it was by him,” I said all in a rush. “If you’ve still got the first burner, destroy it. He has the number. The new one, no one has that. I bought it tonight on my way here.”

---