He stared. Blinked. Ran his fingers through his short hair. His skin had gone ashen. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. I wasn’t brave enough to tell you two years ago, but I should’ve been. I loved you then, and I still love you now.” I’d already bared my heart, so I kept going. “I want you to stay.”
“That’s not what we agreed. I came here to get justice for you.Vengeance.” He shook his head. “I never should’ve taken you to bed.”
Ouch. That hurt. But I stood firm. “I’m just finally telling you how I feel.” This time, if Dean left, at least I’d know I told him my truth. I would know that I’d tried. “I do want justice against Ryan Garrett. But I would give that up in a heartbeat if it meant I could keep you.”
Dean didn’t say anything. Wouldn’t even look at me anymore.
So I walked away from him and got ready for bed. Slipped under the covers. Dean still hadn’t come to the bedroom.
I guess I had my answer.
When I woke, the light on my nightstand was still on. But Dean wasn’t beside me.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes. My phone said it was after midnight. I kicked off the covers, restlessness itching under my skin. Was he sleeping upstairs on the floor again? How stubborn was he? Was it really so awful that I’d told him I loved him?
The man was pissing me off.
Then I noticed the necklace on the pillow beside me, and my anger drained away. Dean had left his leather cord with the bullet pendant. Henevertook that off, but here it was, on the pillow where he’d slept next to me for weeks.
What the heck did that mean?
I picked up the necklace. The metal of the bullet was cold on my palm.
“Dean?”
The rest of the first floor was dark. I switched on the lights as I went upstairs, calling out his name.
He wasn’t here.
The feeling of dread grew as I moved from room to room. Nausea coated my throat. Back downstairs, I checked the spot where Dean kept the locked cases for his sniper rifle and other weapons.
They were all gone.
No. No, no, no.
He was going after Ryan Garrett. Alone. But what did it mean that he’d left his necklace behind?
Was Dean not planning to come backat all?
Frustration and fear boiled over. Grabbing my car keys, I ran in my bare feet to the front door and threw it open. Dashed outside into the chilly air.
But I stopped short when I spotted the figure sitting on the porch steps.
The porch light was off, but the moon was bright enough to illuminate Dean’s profile. His shoulders were slumped, elbows on his knees. The gun cases were here on the porch. A duffel sat near the porch railing.
“Youasshole. You made me think you’d left! You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“I meant to leave,” he said in a monotone.
Tears balled in my throat. “You were going to find Ryan Garrett. By yourself.” I held up the leather cord with thebullet dangling between my fingers. “Andthiswas all you left for me? Why?”
Dean stood up. He was dressed in his tactical cargos and a dark tee. The porch creaked as he walked toward me.
“I’m sorry.”
“You should be!” I shoved his shoulder to keep him back, but he just came forward again.
