I barely get the words out and she throws her body against mine. Instantly, I’m wrapping my arms and my legs around her like I always do. I sigh as she melts into me. My cock twitches, but I do my best to ignore it.
The room is quiet, and Bree whispers my name softly. “Logan.”
I stroke my hand down her back. “Yeah, honey?”
Her finger is drawing circles on my chest. “I’m sorry… for everything. For putting you in danger, for putting your family, your friends, your community?—”
“Stop,” I demand. The fact that she’s apologizing to me makes me feel even worse. “Bree… baby… please.”
She leans up and looks into my eyes. “I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to you.”
I push her gently to her back and hover over her. I look at her bruised eye and busted lip. “I’m the one that should be apologizing. I should have listened to you, Bree. I should have let you explain?—”
She shakes her head. “I did lie to you, Lo. You didn’t owe me anything.” She huffs out a big breath. “Going against the Antonelli family is not something I wanted to do, but I couldn’t say no. I had to?—”
I ask her the one question that’s been on my mind all night. “Why didn’t you tell me? Did you not trust me? Or?—”
She puts a finger to my lip. “I trusted you. Heck, I know the kind of man you are. If I had told you, what would you have done?”
I lean toward her. “I wouldn’t have left your side.”
She nods, not surprised in the least. “Yeah, and thatwould have put you in danger. I couldn’t—I wouldn’t—do that to you.”
I shake my head. “You don’t get it, do you?”
Her eyebrows lift. “Get what?”
“Baby, I love you?—”
She cuts me off. “You mean loved…”
I shake my head. “I mean love. I loved you then and I love you now, Bree. Even when I thought you cheated on me and I wanted to hate you, I couldn’t. If something had happened to you—” My voice breaks because just talking about it makes me physically ill.
She cups my cheek. “I feel the same way, Lo. When we broke up, I knew I had to stay in New York for the trial, but as soon as it was over, I came to Whiskey Run. I thought about you every day, and I knew that I had to try. I couldn’t lose you. Not like that.”
I lean my forehead into hers. “You’re the bravest woman I know, honey.”
She lifts her shoulders. “I wasn’t brave. I was scared to death the whole time.”
I clench my eyes closed because I can just imagine how scared she was.
I lift my head and look at her. “It’s my turn.”
“Your turn for what?”
“My turn to apologize?—”
She cuts me off. “No, I get it. You thought I cheated.”
I shake my head. “I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about tonight. I wasn’t there for you. You were hurt and?—”
She puts a hand on each side of my face. “That wasn’t your fault, Lo. And you and your men came to get me.”
Almost fiercely, I tell her, “I will always come to get you. I promise you that from this moment, I will be by your side. I will stand by you and protect you and?—”
She juts her chin at me. “For how long? Nine months?”
I shake my head adamantly. “Forever, Bree.You’re mine.”
