Page 98 of Innocent Intentions

I press my lips to her forehead, a gentle kiss.

My body sags when she finally stirs.

Her lashes flutter. Her gaze lifts. And when her eyes meet mine, I shatter all over again.

She isn’tthere.

No fire. No smartass remarks. No Margot.

Just emptiness.

I can’t handle it.

“Sweetheart, please.” I whisper.

She blinks. Slowly. Like she’s waking up from a nightmare.

I run a trembling hand through her curls. I don’t know what else to do. I just can’t let her go.

“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” I whisper against her forehead. A promise. A vow. “I’m here. You’re safe now.”

Her entire body shakes.

And then she breaks.

Sobs rip through her, full body tremors as she clings to me. Like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded.

I squeeze back tighter than I should. Tighter than she probably wants.

But I can’t let go.

I press my lips to her temple, murmuring over and over, “You’re safe. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

She sobs against my chest, shaking, so small in my arms.

I don’t know how long I hold her.

I just know I’ll never let her go again.

Chapter 37

Matthias

I don’t know how much time passes. It could be minutes or hours. All I know is that eventually, she stops shaking. The sobs fade to shallow breaths. Her body sags against mine, spent.

But she’s still not here.

Her eyes are open, but they don’t hold the fire I love. They don’t hold anything. Just blank, hollow torment.

A rustling sound behind us makes her flinch. She tenses, eyes darting toward the noise. Before she can turn, I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me.

“Don’t look, sweetheart,” I murmur. “You don’t need to see this.”

Because if she does, she’ll see him. The bastard who had his hands on her. Dead. And she’ll see the other two, bloodied but alive.

I don’t want her to have those images in her nightmares. She’s already been through enough.

Roman moves past us, dragging one of the men by his collar. He hauls them out of the house, one by one, shoving their limpbodies in the SUV. When he comes back, he’s carrying a towel and a sweatshirt, one of mine from the car.

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