Page 116 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

Relief flashed through her eyes and she gave me a tiny smile that made that honesty a hundred times worthwhile. “Of course.”

Giving me one last smile, she turned and disappeared into the bathroom.

Exhaling heavily, I ran my hands through my hair and tried to get my head into a place where I could be with Kaeli without wanting to own her, but my body felt too wired, too on edge, like I’d just taken a hit.

Growling, I headed for the kitchen. I didn’t know what I was going to do in there. Both of us had already eaten, but I needed to keep busy.

I’d been in there for a total of two minutes, still staring blankly into the fridge, when Kaeli called me. I stiffened. Fuck. I couldn’t go in there. Not with her naked. And wet.

She called me again. This time more urgent.

It was the distress in her voice that finally set my feet in motion, and when I walked into the bathroom and saw her frantically searching through her clothes, all thoughts of her being naked went out the window. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to go home,” she said, pulling out her cell and tapping the screen. “What if Aaron goes there? He could hurt Mom.”

It was right then, in that exact moment in time, that I knew I was in love with her. She was everything that mattered in my life.

I was everything that was bad for her, but somehow, she was everything that was good for me. How did that work? How was that possible? How was that right? And what the hell was I supposed to do with that?

If I was man enough, I’d walk away. Set her free to find someone who was worthy of her. But it seemed for all the power I had when I was Mitch, when it came to Kaeli, I was completely and utterly weak.

I swallowed. “I’ve already text Dad. Someone’s going to be positioned outside your house until Aaron’s been apprehended.”

She shook her head. “I still need to be there…”

I watched her put the cellphone to her ear. Gently, I touched her arm. “She’s safe, baby. I promise.”

She glanced up at me, her cell still pressed to her ear, but her eyes flashed with uncertainty. “Mom?” she said into the phone. “Where are you?”

She turned to face me, her gaze unfocused and distant. I automatically stepped closer, her distress sparking the protective need in me.

“I’m fine. I’m at Noah’s.” She frowned and then her eyebrows went skyward. “You are? Oh…okay…” Her shoulders relaxed a little and her gaze swept up to meet mine. “Uh…well, I guess that’s good…Okay, bye…”

I watched her press the button to end the call, her eyebrows slightly scrunched with confusion. “All good?”

“Apparently she’s going to be staying with Sam until Aaron’s caught…”

“Sam?”

“Dr. Miller,” she said, shaking her head a little.

“Well, that’s good isn’t it? I mean, you said you thought they’d be good together…”

She considered my words for a minute while I tried to stay focused and not let my gaze run away from me. “Noah..? she said, uncertainty coming off her in waves.

I wanted to tell her to stop. To not say what she was thinking of saying, but my throat felt like it was being squeezed tight.

“Will you hold me?”

Sweet fucking god almighty.

“I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to keep your distance right now, and I feel so bad for asking…I just…I want…” she sighed. “Just whatever you can give me…”

Didn

’t she understand that it was all or nothing? And by all, I meant to the point of consuming her? Fuck, I wanted her so bad, but not like that. Not if it meant pushing her away.

But I knew I’d give anything for this girl. Even if it meant my own destruction.

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