Page 124 of Sinful
Phantom studies me for a long moment. "You've changed. Since Florida. Since her."
"Yeah."
"Good change or bad change?"
"Don't know yet, but it feels right."
He claps me on the shoulder. "All right. Then we make it work. But Bravos? After this is over, after Los Coyotes is handled—you need to figure out if you're still a Nomad or if you're staying put. Can't do both forever."
"I know."
"Good. Now go be with your girl. Tomorrow the real work starts."
Later that night, back in my room, we're lying in my narrow bed that barely fits us both.
She's wearing my t-shirt—black, too big on her, perfect.
Curled against my side with her head on my chest, one leg thrown over mine.
"I'm scared," she admits quietly.
"Me too."
"What if?—"
"Don't." I kiss her forehead. "We're not doing 'what ifs' tonight. Tonight we just have this. Us."
"Okay." She traces patterns on my chest with her finger. "Us."
"Tomorrow Runes and Damon arrive with their men. Then it gets crazy."
"And the next day?"
"Next day we go to war."
She's quiet for a long moment. "Promise me you'll come back."
"I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Women, man.
"Then I promise I'll do everything I can to come back. To you. To this." I tilt her chin up so she's looking at me. "You're my home now, Helle. First time I've had one in eighteen years. I'm not giving that up without a fight."
Tears slide down her cheeks and I wipe them away with my thumb.
"I love you," she whispers.
"I love you too."
We fall asleep tangled together as the night deepens around us.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Helle
I wake up to Bravos watching me.
Not in a creepy way—more like he's memorizing my face in case he doesn't get another chance.
