Page 43 of Love & Betrayal

She set her fork down, the color draining from her cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered. “But I don’t know how. He’s threatened to hurt Ashley if I leave or attempt suicide again.”

White-hot rage ripped through me, and I backed away from my food, no longer hungry.

“Zayne, the night you saved me. I was trying to get free of himandmy ex-husband. They were good friends at the time and treated me the same. I’m terrified—not about what he’ll do to me, but to my little sister.”

I turned away slightly, afraid that it might scare Giselle if she saw how angry I was. She’d had enough of that bullshit in her life. Placing my hands on my hips so I wouldn’t punch Vaughn’s wall, I began to pace in an attempt to clear my mind, much like I had during martial arts training and my military days. I sucked in a deep breath, then faced Giselle again.

“And you’re being straight with me about the burn on your back? Donovan didn’t put it there?” I clenched my jaw so hard that I thought I might break a molar.

“No, he didn’t do it.” Giselle gulped, visibly shaken. “But he was just as responsible.”

I stormed over to her, barely hanging on to sanity and pinned her with my gaze. “Before I kill the motherfucker, I have to know that I understand you correctly.”

Giselle grabbed my forearm, squeezing tightly.

“Donovan is hurting and controlling you with your little sister. If you escape, then we need to ensure her safety as well.”

Tears welled in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks, breaking my heart into a million pieces. All I wanted was for her to heal and be happy once she and Ashley were relocated—even if it was without me.

“Yes.” Her tongue licked the moisture from her lips. “He has a wide reach, so this has to be planned meticulously or he’ll hurt her. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to Ashley.” She hiccupped.

I pulled Giselle in for a hug, rubbing her upper back while she fell apart. “I realize this is hard for you, but I need as many details as you can give me. Then I have to bring in my boss.”

Her red-rimmed eyes gazed at me in terror. “No one else can know.” Her voice trembled with her plea.

I knelt on the floor and took her hands. Looking up, I inhaled as my pulse skipped a beat. “Pierce, Vaughn, and I served in the military. We’re trained to plan an attack, go in and rescue people, as well as kill when necessary. I understand you’re scared shitless, but I can’t do this alone. I trust my men with my life. I also trust them with yours and Ashley’s.”

She chewed on her lower lip, looking away. I suspected she was weighing the pros and cons and trying to hold her fear in check.

“Okay.” Her voice barely hovered above a whisper.

“We’ll meet with them. It might be easiest if they come over here. Vaughn and Claire will be home in a few hours. I know Claire and Sutton will be right there for you, too. Claire escaped an awful situation, and I suspect she can offer you some support and someone to talk to. Shit, in one way or the other, we all did.”

Standing, I then reached out and smoothed her dark hair. “I realize this is a bad time, but I’m not just invested in you as your bodyguard.” I trailed my fingertips down her cheek. “After I saved you, I wanted to reach out. Even in those brief seconds before you collapsed, I felt there was something special about you. When I found out you were married, I decided to stop thinking about the woman with the golden eyes. No matter how hard I tried, though, I couldn’t. I have to believe that the universe brought us together again.”

“Me, too.” Giselle stood as well, then pushed up on her tiptoes. Her soft lips brushed against mine, the taste of her sweeter than I’d ever imagined.

As much as I wanted to pick her up and ravage her, I let her take control. She had to understand that I wouldn’t hurt her.

A soft moan escaped her, nearly undoing me. Our mouths parted, her tongue seeking mine. I threaded my fingers through her hair, breathing her in and taking what she was able to give me.

Her hands roamed over my back and my dick begged to be inside her. But that would have to wait, no matter how many times I had to rub one out in the shower. Her heart was the most important thing to me, not her body.

Breathless, I broke the kiss. “I could kiss you all day, but I need a break.”

Confusion flickered across her expression. “A break?”

I leaned down near her ear and said, “You’re too special to me to rush the physical aspect.”

A soft whimper slipped from her, and she dug her manicured fingernails into my biceps.

I straightened, then gently kissed her again. “I have to ask, Giselle: are you sure your feelings for me are more than just as your protector? I think it could be confusing.”

“I want there to be anus, Zayne. I realize you’re my knight in shining armor right now, but what I feel for you is real and goes beyond that. Please believe me.” She pressed her petite body against me, then brushed her lips against mine.

“If we want a chance to make a relationship work, please don’t tell anyone, especially Pierce and Sutton,” I said against her soft mouth.

“I won’t. It’s best we keep things a secret anyway. If Donovan or Marty finds out before we have a plan in place ...” She hesitated. “I can’t.” She shook her head, then backed away. “I can’t even wrap my head around what he’d do.”

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