Page 114 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

“Because I can do it,” I tell him. I’m not helpless. A bullet and a beat-up body won’t stop me. Not today anyway. “And I didn’t want to bother you any more than I already have. You could have taken me home like I asked, you know.”

“Your condo is a crime scene, or do I need to remind you of that again?”

“No.” I breathe out in frustration. “I could’ve gone home with my dad.” That’s why my dad is mad at me. I chose Drago over him. Well, that’s how he sees it. Drago didn’t exactly give me a choice. He was dead set on me leaving with him and instead of joining the Battle of the Alpha Male shouting match happening in my room, I conceded. Besides, D and I really need to have a serious talk with no other ears listening so...

Rather than respond to me, he places his hand on the rail then steps up, walking toward me until he’s standing on the stair below me. God, he’s handsome. With everything that’s weighing on my mind, Drago’s good looks shouldn’t be one of them, but it always is when I look at him.

“Come on,” he says, grabbing both of my hands and pulling them over his shoulders. “I’ll take you upstairs. You need to rest.”

Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I cup the back of his neck firmly as he lifts me, being careful not to touch the leg that’s banged up underneath my clothes. I don’t refuse him because I need his touch. I need to feel more of his skin than the few times he’s held my hand in the last twenty-four hours. I need the contact more so now than I ever have before.

I need him, and I don’t know that I deserve it, so I’m not voicing it out loud.

He’s warm, and for the first time today, heat seeps through my skin, coating me—on the surface at least.

I lay my forehead against the fabric covering his shoulder, breathing him in. His scent is light today with only a faint hint of burnt wood. It’s more him rather than the cologne he usually wears. I doubt he put any on whenever he changed clothes from the ones he was wearing yesterday. He smells good though. I prefer him over a synthetic scent any day. There is something about his natural smell that appeals to me; it soothes and comforts me.

“Mmm,” I hum, not meaning to.

“Am I hurting you?” he asks, loosening his grip, mistaking my sound of enjoyment for pain. I just shake my head without lifting it off him.

The lighting changes when he walks through the door of his bedroom. It’s brighter inside his bedroom. My eyes are automatically drawn to the open drapes where the sun is shining through.

Drago’s feet eat up the short distance to the bed where both of his dogs jump off to the carpeted floor and instantly they’re dancing at his feet, obviously excited to see him.

I’m placed gently on top of the mattress at the head just before the pillow. His bed is neatly made with the covers already turned down. I can’t help but wonder if he slept here last night after storming out of my hospital room or if he even slept at all...

“Come on, boys,” he calls to the dogs, bringing me back to the present. As if to purposely disobey him, one jumps back on the mattress, coming up and plopping down behind my back rather abrasively at that.

“No,” I interject. “They don’t have to leave. This is their home, not mine,” I tell him when the other one, not remembering what their names are, hops up, joining the other dog.

“Trust me, you don’t want them in the bed with you. They’ll trample all over you, vying for your attention.”

“Maybe I could use the attention,” I mutter.

Something darkens in D’s eyes, but he quickly looks away, peering out the window as he cups the back of his neck, squeezing. Eventually, he sighs, sounding every bit as exhausted as I know I am.

“Suit yourself, but if they get on your nerves, shoot me a text. I’ll come get them out of here.”

“D,” I whisper, stopping him as he turns to leave. He doesn’t turn back around to face me or look over his shoulder like he knows what’s coming next. He’s probably expecting it. He should anyway. “It’s time to tell me when we had sex without a condom and why.”

“Just rest for now. We’ll talk later.”

“Turn around,” I say slowly so the words don’t come out like an order even though that’s exactly how I mean them.

Forcing out a breath, long and hard, he pivots, crossing his thick arms over his chest and taking a firm stance from across the room. Even though he looks every bit of the strong, dark man I saw in that first photo all those weeks ago, his eyes aren’t the same. They aren’t scary, but they are weary and maybe even a bit uncertain.

I wait a beat, expecting him to talk, but when he doesn’t, it only amps up the irritation I don’t have the energy or patience for.

“Just tell me.” Even if I do know, I want to hear him tell me.

Drago’s eyes have taken on a haunted look I’ve never witnessed before. If he’s battling half of the emotions I am right now, this is gutting him too.

“That first night.” His eyes finally meet mine, and there is more than just anguish flickering through them. There’s guilt. I recognize it because it matches my own but for a different reason.

“We had unprotected sex?” The one night I don’t remember is the one night he didn’t wear a condom and he’s just now telling me this? Sure, it was already on my mind that it had to have been that night, but it still doesn’t diminish the shock factor of hearing it out loud.

He nods, confirming what I already assumed.

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