Page 81 of Deceive Me
This time Deacon’s laugh was full, happy, without the strain of before. Sydney grinned up at him.
“Well that’s one way to ask a woman out, I guess.” Deacon swiped at the tears at the corners of his eyes. “Thanks, Syd.”
“You’re welcome.” That spot where she’d lost her tooth made an appearance as she flashed her father a grin.
Then Deacon’s deep brown eyes met Elliot’s and all the laughter died, replaced by something richer, deeper, something that took her breath away. His stare seemed to drill right to the heart of her, the part that was fluttering with panic and fear and a whole helluva lot of aching need—for a family, for him. For all of it.
She’d been too scared to name that look the last time she saw it, but Deacon hadn’t. He’d named it without fear as he’d fallen asleep, cushioned by her body.
“God, I love you.”
“Elliot.”
She sucked in a breath.
“I said something last night, something you probably think I regret. But I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” He seemed about to say something else but glanced at Syd and reconsidered. “I meant what I did and what I said then, and I mean this now: all we want, all I want, is for you to give us a chance.”
As if they had to beg her? They’d be the one taking a chance, not her. “Deacon, I…”
I care. God, I care so much—and it scares the shit out of me.
“Don’t you like us, Elliot?”
She looked helplessly into Sydney’s eyes. So much trust shone there. What if she couldn’t live up to that look? What if she failed? She’d never had a family before, people depending on her, expectations to live up to.
Except she had, hadn’t she? With Dain. With her team. She’d loved them and protected them and lived with them, and she hadn’t let them down.
You can do this, Ell.
Deacon reached for her, his calloused fingers rough on her cheek. “Don’t be afraid, Ell. Just tell us.”
“Of course I”—a glance at Sydney—“like you.” Love you. “A lot. I like you both.” She knew she should step away from Deacon’s touch, but her feet wouldn’t move. “But I—” Oh God, what did she do? “Deacon, I’m too…broken. I don’t want to be, but we both know that I am.” She ignored Sydney’s frown, knowing the little girl didn’t understand. Maybe someday…
No, there wouldn’t be a someday here. She had to stop wishing on stars and get back to reality. She had to make Deacon understand. “You deserve someone so much better than me, someone whole.”
Deacon continued to stare her down, not a hint of surprise on his face. “We deserve to be loved, and we get to choose who we want it from. We choose you.”
Her heart thumped hard, a bass drum in her ears. “I—”
Deacon came closer, close enough that it almost seemed Elliot was holding Sydney as much as he was. Two parts making a whole. His broad hand cupped her flushed cheek. “Trust me, Elliot,” he said, and this time it was a command, not a request. She could feel the iron strength of his will wrapping around her even as his thumb stroked, soothing her heated skin. “Trust me. You’ve asked me to trust you this whole time, to believe you. Now I’m asking you. Trust me. That’s all we need.”
Was it?
Trust. In him, in herself, in the two of them together.
That’s all we need.
She looked into the brown and green eyes staring back at her, wanting her, needing her, and realized she was letting fear win. She hadn’t let it win at thirteen, and she hadn’t let it win when she’d joined Dain’s team. Was she going to let it win now, in the most important battle she would ever fight?
Fuck no.
“Yes.” Yes, I’ll trust you. Yes, I’ll be with you. Yes, I’ll love you both—always.
A tear slipped down her cheek to wet Deacon’s thumb. Always.
