Page 90 of Come Back To Me

“That’s how you knew she’d come back, isn’t it?”

Tugging his ear, he replies, “Still not sure what you mean.”

I smile. “You do realise she slept rough before showing up at the clubhouse?”

“But she’s back, that’s the main thing,” he says matter-of-factly, straightening his back. He’s not wrong, I suppose. “When are you back at work?” he asks.

I sit a little straighter. “Back tomorrow. I’ll get Lauren back in as soon as I can, but I don’t want to force anything on her.” Dean’s eyes pull together. “Her brother’s missing.”

“Her brother?” Dean sits forward as he asks.

I nod my head. “Didn’t come home one night. She was looking for him, the morning you found her.”

“Is she alright?”

“She will be. I’ll help her,” I smile.

“You let Travis find him,” he tells me, throwing me a warning look.

I pause. “Travis is really busy.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“He seems stressed, too,” I say, referring to everything going on with the club and the way he’s been around Mollie.

Dean rubs the back of his head, tilting his head slightly to one side. “I can’t imagine why.” His voice is hushed.

I eye him sceptically. “You mean with the club, right?”

A cheeky smile spreads across his face. “The club, undeniably. But it’s probably more Mollie.”

“What’s the deal with those two?”

Dean lets out a small laugh. “That’s a whole story in itself. Just, go easy on him. Don’t cause him any added stress.”

My face is stonewalled. “I’ll pretend you didn’t just imply thatIwould make anything more stressful.”

He leans forward, opening up his hands.

I lay mine in his, watching as his thumbs glide over the back of my skin once again. It feels heavenly.

We stay like this, talking about a whole lot of nothing. It’s nice. Simple. Conversation flows like a river heading to the sea. We keep it light, talking about mundane things. Mundane things I wish we were doing together.

After nowhere near long enough, Dean looks at the clock on the wall, making me turn my head. “Five minutes,” he points out.

I blink back my tears. Our time’s coming to an end.

“No more visits, okay?”

My lip quivers as I try to speak. “What about the trial?”

“No, Mads. If it should take me longer to get out of here, I want to remember this. Not watching you from behind the glass. You go home. You stay safe. Youlisten.You grow my child and you live.”

Lifting my hands to his mouth, he lowers his lips until they caress my skin. How am I supposed to live without him?

As he stands, he brings me with him. I’m pulled into him, our bodies close, his warmness blanketing me. Savouring him, he tilts my chin, then kisses me softly. I realise in this moment I would do anything to make sure he comes home. His lips hover over mine as he begins to pull away. “I love you.” His hot breath hits my mouth, my lips instantly parting, wanting more of him.

“I love you,” I reply.

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