Page 221 of Beyond the Blue Horizon
He buried his nose in my hair, and he gripped me tight. “I will protect you with everything I have.”
His heart thrummed manic beneath me.
And I got it. Recognized his grief.
The complete loss that he’d carried as guilt and shame.
Whoever she was had died.
No question as a result of their lifestyle. When they were members of that MC. When they’d…
Horror trembled through me, unable to imagine Theo living that way.
Brutal and cruel.
So different than he’d been last night.
Because that…that was his sacrifice.
His giving.
Pure selflessness.
Putting himself in harm’s way.
In danger, both from the beasts they fought and the law.
I wanted to turn and press my mouth to his thundering heart and beg him to believe that he could love.
Convince him he was capable of it.
That he was worthy of it.
But I wasn’t sure he was ready to hear it.
“I know you will,” I murmured at his hot flesh instead.
His big hand spread out over the middle of my back. “Need you to tell me who you’ve been running from, Piper. Need to understand your situation so I can protect you from it.”
Old fear lashed through my spirit. Visions screamed through my mind.
Part of me wanted to hold it in, but I found myself whispering, “I was young. So naïve and ignorant.”
Theo just waited, holding me until I was ready to talk.
My fingers traced the grim forest tattooed on his chest, the glow of the flames reflecting against his skin. “You wanted to love, Theo, and I just wanted to have some fun.”
He flinched.
“Except I got caught up in it. Swept away by this guy. His name was Justin.”
I’d already told Theo that I’d been running from someone, but I’d given him so few details. So little of my life when it felt like he’d become intrinsic to that life.
“I knew he was trouble,” I continued, “but I had no idea what that really meant. Nelly knew. She tried to warn me, and I just laughed it off.”
“Think she can see right through all of us,” he murmured in low encouragement.
“Yeah, she always has been able to. Like she has a sixth sense about people. I wish I would have listened.”
