Page 103 of Take A Chance

“If I give you this, you’ll leave her alone. Call off your hounds and leave her alone, forever. You hear me, Adri?”

“They’ll be gone in minutes,” she replied, gleefully.

“There’s one topic of limits.”

“What’s that?”

He turned his back on Rebelle and lowered his voice. “Her.” There was a heavy silence. “You owe me.”

“Deal,” Adri spat through gritted teeth knowing it was better to get something than nothing. And what she would get would be enough to set her up for life. He hung up on her and turned to Rebelle.

“Why did you do that?” she demanded.

“I did it for you.”

“I didn’t need you to. Don’t give them the private pieces of yourself for their trashy stories!”

“Aw, you worried about me, beautiful?” he teased, trying to lighten the tense mood.

She shook her head. “You do so much for others, give so much of yourself away.”

“You wanna be my protector?” He tugged her towards him and risked it, kissing her lightly, adoring the way she melted into his hard body. Just then, he wanted her to protect him forever. Wanted them to protect each other.

“Marry me?” he whispered, smiling against her plump lips.

She reeled back, her brows creasing. “Excuse me?”

“Marry me?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“No?”

“How could you ask me that? I would never marry again. Would never tie myself to a man.”

“No, that’s not why I asked. Don’t you see though, he didn’t love you but I-”

“But you found something to fix, to distract yourself from going back to a life that’s making you miserable. You have a savior complex, Will. You’re trying to save me, the animals. Only I don’t need saving. I don’t need fixing and I don’t need you, Will,” she added softly, trying to convince them both.

His throat dried. “I know you don’t need me. But don’t you…don’t you want me?”

There was a pause. A long silence stretched between them. Will was never afraid of silences, he’d used them as a tool in negotiations, happy to sit in the uncomfortableness of it until the other person cracked. But this was the most agonizing silence he’d ever endured.

Rebelle squeezed her eyes shut before meeting his stare. “Thank you for all your help, I couldn’t have done this without you.”

His heart shattered, small shards poking at him. He didn’t say anything, just bent down until their foreheads pressed together. Of course she didn’t want to marry him. He’d been stupid to think otherwise. They knew this was just a casual thing until he left; he knew this wouldn’t go further, what had he been thinking? Both of them closed their eyes, him trying to figure out how he was going to walk away from her and this place and not break.

When they pulled apart, Will cleared his throat. “I’d better go. Obviously, I’ll be in touch about the shelter, and you have my number if there are any emergencies or something you’re not sure on.”

She stepped back, pushing her hands into the pockets of her black jeans, biting her bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”

He waved a hand. “Psh, don’t worry. I’ll deal with the press.” He turned, unable to look at her any longer. He moved to the door and paused when she called his name.

“William?”

God, he’d never get over the way she said his name. He turned. “Yeah?”

She smiled, full and wide and his eyes gobbled up the sight of it. “I mean it. Thank you. For…” she tailed off, looking about her. “…everything.”