Page 53 of His Virgin Angel

“I grew up on the streets, Piper. I know how to play dirty, and to make money out of it. I’m not a good man. I never claimed I was, and the only good thing I ever did was protect you and Brian.” He took her hands, and she didn’t pull away from him. “I don’t love anyone. Never have, never wanted to. When you came along, I didn’t even care about anyone. You changed me, Piper. I love you with all my heart, and knowing you were gone, I was the worst kind of animal possible.”

“Jack, I don’t—you love me?”

“Yes, I love you.”

“I need time,” she said. “This is a lot to process.”

“I understand.” He got to his feet, and she followed him, standing up. “Brian will be home in an hour. I think we’ll hold off on moving in together.”

She bit her lip as the pain struck her hard. They were going to move in, have a life, and he said that he loved her.

“Jack,” she said, stopping him as he went to open the door. “I love you, too.”

“And you need time.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, and while we’re talking about truths here, you’ll never hear from Louisa again.”

“Because of the slap?” she asked.

“No, because she’s the reason Ronald got his hands on you. She had to go.”

He opened the door, and in the next second he was gone. She couldn’t tell Brian about what was happening. Moving through the apartment that Jack had put her in four years ago, the tears continued to fall down her face. No matter how many times she tried to wipe them away, they kept coming back.

Whenever her mother picked a boyfriend over her, she’d never known this kind of pain. Covering her face, she sank down to the floor, and sobbed her heart out. She loved a man that killed people. What was she supposed to do with that?

Brian arrived a couple of hours later, and he looked at her, opening his arms. She hugged him tightly, pleased that nothing had touched her brother. She would never forgive herself if anything was to happen to him.

“Jack asked me to take care of you,” he said.

“I’m supposed to be taking care of you.”

“We’re not moving in with him yet, are we?” he asked.

“I’ve got to figure some things out first, Bri. I can’t rush this.”

“Do you love him?”

“With all my heart.”

He didn’t say anything else, and they stayed on the sofa watching cartoons.

****

“Are you okay?” Drake asked.

Jack poured himself a generous shot of whiskey and drank it down in two gulps. “I’m fine. More than fine.”

“I have a guard posted outside of Piper’s apartment. She and Brian will be taken care of.”

“Of course they will. I doubt there’s any threat left for them. Ronald certainly made sure to fuck up my life before he died, the miserable bastard.” Pouring another shot, Jack sipped this one, wondering what oblivion would truly feel like.

“How is Piper?”

“Shocked, scared, probably questioning everything I’ve ever done. She’s just so perfect, and I’m not.”

“You love her, Jack.”

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