Page 45 of From My Past
And that was hard to accept. To trust.
“Good. Now, can we agree that we won’t bring me or my soldiers in danger up again? I won’t intentionally try to get people hurt but I won’t let that maggot intimidate me, take you back, or try to crumble my family’s business. Trust me.”
That word again. Trust. Every bit of trust I’d had, had been stomped on and lit on fire by men over and over. The man in front of me included. But, something deep inside of me did trust him. It always had.
“I do,” I said strongly, looking at him. The immediateness of those two words struck a chord with me. It brought me right back to five years ago as he asked me to trust him and pulled me into the backyard, into the little nook he’d made and listened to my fears and dreams. I swear, I fell for him right then.
Kieron leaned in and kissed my lips softly before leaning away. I took a few breaths, then picked up my coffee mug and tried not to dwell on how fantastic it was.
“I take it that you have no intention of going back?” Kieron asked carefully, not making eye contact with me at all.
“No. I don’t. And I doubt you’d let me even if I did.” I said with a big smile when his dark eyes found mine.
“No. I don’t think I would.” He tried to hide him smile from me, looking down at his watch quickly, but I saw it. Just for a moment, but it was there and it was beautiful. “In two minutes, Luca will call his father and the ball will start to roll. We are already pulling out business and we’ve put on additional security detail at all our businesses so there shouldn’t be any fallback there. There is one thing that I would like to talk to you about regarding your family.”
“Okay.”
“I have people watching and guarding them for now, but only short-term while the shit hits the fan, is there any way you could get them out of Boston?”
That was a great fucking idea. One I should’ve thought of the moment I got here.
“Yes! I can try. I just need my phone and some time. They haven’t heard from me in months. Luca had me cut ties with everyone. Everyone but him.”
Kieron stood up and walked over to where I stood on the other side of the island. Silently, he took the mug out of my hands and set it down before wrapping me in his arms and pulling me up into the air. I wrapped around his waist and I held onto his broad shoulders, my fingers digging into the leather.
“Never again, baby. I’ll make sure of it. From now on, you’re free. I promise.” He said softly in my ear.
“How will I ever repay you?” I asked, my mouth lightly touching his neck with every word. I swear I could feel a little shiver run through him as my lips brushed his neck.
“Just be happy and live your life the wayyouwant to. Please.”
It was the ‘please’ that got me. This big, strong, tough man who looked like a fucking motorcycle model imbued with dangerous power could have anyone in the world. Literally anyone.
And he picked me.
“I am now.” I said with a smile that mirrored his own.
“Be with me.” He said against my lips, his forehead touching mine.
“Aren’t I already?” In my head, the moment he had called me baby and held me through the panic attack at the electronics store, I’d been his again.
“Officially, then.” He said with a wide smile.
“Are you asking me to go steady with you?”
“Brat.” He pinched my ass and I rubbed against him which earned me a tight groan.
“What are you asking, Kieron?”
“Talia Jones, will you be my girl?” He asked with such sincerity and such adoration that I could feel my heart exploding. A wide smile crossed my face and I’m sure he could see every emotion cross my face. My guards were down, everything was genuine.
“Yes.” I said softly and pulled his lips to mine by holding the back of his neck and pulling him towards me.
“Thank god.” He whispered right before our lips touched. The kiss that followed was addicting. Like lightning bolts crashing, it was so powerful. Everything seemed to change in that moment.
I knew where he stood, and he knew where I stood. We wanted to be together and he was well-aware of my trauma. I felt…loved and protected.
“Baby girl, kisses like that are dangerous.” He whispered hoarsely as he pulled away but rested our foreheads together.
