Page 34 of Finders Keep Her
"That's what you have to say right now?"
Ronan leans back in his chair. "What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know. I thought you'd be mad." I fidget with the side of the napkin, folding the edge back and forth.
"I wouldn't call it mad."
"Then, what?"
"It's twofold, really. I'm hurt you took off, but it's also a lesson you should learn now: If you run, I’ll chase." He leans forward. "And I always catch.Always.” He draws out the last word to make his point. I shift in my seat because that annoyingly turns me on.
My vagina needs to get it together. But in all fairness, Ronan wrecked her last night—hell, he wrecked all of me. After our night together, I know I'll never be the same. It’s the main reason I took off. I wasn’t prepared for what I would feel afterwards. Idon’t know how to deal with all of these feelings I’m having for him.
“Get out of your head, Ellie. Talk to me.” Oh noes, he’s using my real name, which means he’s dead serious.
Plus, him saying I hurt him when I left crushed me inside. It was never my intention. I was too inside my own thoughts and trying to do what was best that I didn’t even think of how Ronan would feel overall. I just thought pissed would be where he landed. Hearing him say hurt is like when your parents tell you they’re not mad, they're disappointed.
“It’s my head, I can’t really get out of it. But you should stop trespassing there so frequently.” Most times I love that he reads me so well, and others not so much. I can’t get away with anything.
Ronan’s expression remains serious. Double crap. The silence stretches between us. Ronan made himself vulnerable, which I’m sure was a first for him. He did that for me, and I need to return the favor. It’s time. He’s been so good to me, and I hate that I hurt him. He doesn’t deserve it.
“I’m sorry I left. I would never try to do anything to hurt you.” I make sure to look him in the eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.”
“You see how that logic is flawed, don’t you? You’re worried about this Cyberius hurting me, and then you go and do it yourself?”
“He’ll kill you!” I hiss, too loudly. I don’t want him to die over me. “And you shouldn’t say his name.” I glance around, but we’re the only ones in here still, and the workers are paying us no attention.
“There are a lot of people that want me dead, Ellie. He can get in line or”—he shrugs—“I’ll go kill him.”
“You’d just go kill him?”
“That’s the easy part.” Ronan leans back in his chair again. I know he’s dead serious. That should irk me, but it doesn’t. Not with how he helped me come to terms with what someone else believes is wrong; you don’t have to. We all live by our own code.
“I could never live with myself if you got killed because of my shenanigans.”
“Well, I don’t want to live without you.” He shrugs. Ronan is so casual about everything. At least that’s how he presents.
“We’re at a crossroads then, I guess.” I return that same casual shrug as him.
Then Ronan does the last thing I think he’ll do. He throws back his head and laughs. I narrow my eyes on him, not sure what's so freaking funny.
Chapter Seventeen
RONAN
Iknow she’s not trying to be cute right now, but I’m not scared of this Cyberius. He might be a computer genius, but he’s still a dick and an ego, and I was able to lure him in to one trap. I’m sure I can do it again. All you need when it comes to a person like him is bait and a dent to his ego.
“I’m not sure what you think is so funny. I’m trying to protect you.” Ellie starts to stand, her ass barely out of the seat. She looks adorable.
“Sit down.” Any humor that might have been in my tone dies out. Ellie freezes, and I watch as a smart-ass comment forms in her head. “Yeah, right now I am the boss of you, so sit your pretty ass back down in the chair.”
“Well then.” Ellie lets out a small huff, but her ass goes back into that seat. “That was rude.” She folds her arms over her chest.
“Drop the attitude and eat.” I push the chocolate croissant closer to her. Her bottom lip puffs out with a slight tremble to it. Fuck me. Does this girl have any clue how wrapped around her finger she has me?
I can’t stand to see her upset. There’s only one way for me to remedy this, and I don’t care if she likes it or not. I stand fromwhere I’m sitting, walk over, and pluck her out of her seat and into my lap.
“I had my own chair. You’re making a scene.” She may be uttering those words, but her body nestles into mine. She’ll learn sooner than later that I’ll do whatever I need to when it comes to her.
