Page 325 of Hell Hath No Fury
I shove my hands into my pockets, hiding my clenched fists. “We will always work through our differences.”
“We didn’t work through anything. You cuffed me to your bed then went after the man I shared a drink with. You didn’t even give me a chance to explain.”
“The explanation could wait. Your safety couldn’t.”
She frowns. “I don’t understand.”
“I know. And you wanted it that way. You asked me to ease you into the brutality of my life. To keep the darkness to aminimum until you became accustomed. So instead of painting a vivid picture of the fragility of your safety, I’ve tried asking you to remain at home, or to schedule your outings, or have one of my men follow you.”
Her lips part, her eyes blinking slowly. “I’ve been in danger?”
“Yes. And we both knew that was always a given. But your place in my life has ruffled more feathers than I anticipated, mainly since news of your father has surfaced.”
Her frown deepens. “How bad is it?”
“Men in my world tend to act more than they talk, and there’s a lot of talk, Nissa. The restrictions I’ve placed on you are valid.”
“Surely it can’t be that bad if you only have one man following me when I leave the house.”
I hold her stare, remaining quiet while I keep my promise to distance her from the brutal reality.
Thoughts tick behind her beautiful eyes. “There’s been more than one…” she murmurs to herself. “I don’t know the half of it, do I?”
“You’ve been safe. That’s all you need to focus on.”
“How many men, Cole?”
“You asked to be shielded from the truth.”
“And now I’ve changed my mind.” She stands taller. “How disruptive have my trips to the mall and lunch dates been to you? How hard has it been to keep me safe while also keeping your promise? How many of your men protect me every time I leave this house?”
“Every man I trust is there to watch over you—Hunter, Decker, Luca. Sometimes more from the lower ranks if I feel it’s necessary.”
Her skin turns ashen. “And I’ve acted the petulant child this entire time…constantly arguing and fighting against your restrictions.”
“You value your freedom—”
“But I also value our relationship.” She steps closer. “You should’ve told me.”
“Your anger was preferable when the alternative was having you caught up in sleepless nights worrying about the future.”
“That’s why you haven’t been sleeping.”
I incline my head. “My thoughts are always at war when I know there’s a threat to you.”
She glances away. “I’m sorry. I never should’ve asked you to keep things from me.”
“Remaining in the dark was the right choice. I want you to be able to maintain at least a little of that moral compass I adore so much.”
Her gaze returns to mine. “Have you broken the law to keep me safe?”
I succumb to temptation and reach out, cupping her cheek. “There’s no need to fret over what’s already been done. It’s best to keep some veil of secrecy between you and the parts of my life you despise.”
“I don’t despise them, Cole. I just need to get used to them. To understand them.”
“You can understand them tomorrow. We’ve both had enough to deal with for one night.”
“Okay.” She nods, tilting her head into my touch. “I need to clarify about Easton though. Is it safe to say you’re not upset that I met with him, only that I kept it from you?”
