She was trembling. I went to sit next to her and took her hand, trying to get her to relax that fist, but she resisted.
“Leave me alone, Dean.”
“I don’t think I should.” I touched her cheek, brushing away a tear with my thumb.
The contact sent a jolt through me. Two years. Two years since I’d been close enough to touch her, and the longing hit me like a physical ache. Her skin was soft and warm, and Iwanted to cup her face in both hands, tell her everything I’d been holding back.
But I couldn’t. I had no right.
“Some people are capable of doing terrible things to other human beings,” I said quietly. I let my fingers trace along her jawline, the gentlest touch I could manage, before brushing my thumb across her cheekbone. “That’s not you, and I’d never want that to be you.”
My hand moved to tuck a tiny strand of hair behind her scarf, lingering there.
“I don’t want you to have to make that choice,” I finished.
She turned her face away, and I dropped my hand, the loss of contact immediately leaving me cold.
“Why are you really back in Hart County?” Keira demanded. “To drop off a care package before you take off again? Just because you feel sorry for me over getting shot?”
“I don’t feel sorry for you. I’d never pity you.”
She laughed derisively. “Then why? You said you missed me, but I don’t believe that’s it.”
I wanted to tell her. Lay it all out, everything I’d been carrying for years.
That I’d left because staying was torture. That I couldn’t stand being near her and pretending friendship was enough when every cell in my body screamed for more. To kiss her and taste her and find out how it felt to call her mine.
I’d thought distance would make it easier, but it had only hollowed me out.
Telling her would be selfish. It would burden her with knowledge she didn’t ask for, and she had enough to deal with. So I swallowed the truth and gave her what I could.
“I came because I’m going to find the men who hurt you.”
Keira turned back to me, eyes widening. “And then what?”
“I’m going to kill them.”
She choked on a cough, pressing a hand to her throat. Stared. “You’re serious?” she whispered.
Same thing Owen had asked me, though I certainly hadn’t spelled out my intentions to him.
I nodded.
Keira glanced around her living room, taking a few seconds to recover. “And I assume you’ll leave again, after this revenge mission of yours is finished? Assuming you don’t get arrested or killed in the process.”
I nodded again. There was no other option.
Keira scoffed. “The man who won’t hurt a spider or swat a fly. You gave up your old life, but you figured it was time for an encore of your assassin days. As a favor to me that Inever asked for. You know how insane that sounds?”
That was just now occurring to me. “Yeah, I suppose I do.”
“There’s no point to this conversation. It’s ridiculous. I’m tired and aching, so I’m going to lie down, and when I wake up, I want you gone.”
With that, she stood up and walked away from me, disappearing down the hall.
CHAPTER TEN
Dean
