“I wasn’t.”
She made a sound of pure frustration, somewhere between a scream and a growl. For a moment, she almost sounded like a wolf herself.
“The tattoo guys know about me and you,” I added, because apparently I had a death wish. “They helped me keep an eye on you. Dom, Marco, and Vinnie all know.”
“They... they’ve been in on this? The whole time?”
“They like you. They wanted to help.”
She stared at me, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. “I can’t... I don’t even know how to process this.”
“If it helps, they all think I’m obsessive and unhinged.”
“THAT DOESN’T HELP.”
“Right. Sorry.”
She stared at me, breathing hard. I could see the war playing out on her face. The outrage, the violation, the anger. But underneath it, an emotion that looked almost like reluctant understanding.
“They’re just outside?” she asked finally.
“Just outside. Entrances and perimeter. Nothing inside. I swear on my life, Riley. I never watched you in your private moments.”
She was quiet for a long beat.
“Anything else?”
I thought. Really thought. The lawyers, the cameras, the compulsion, the stalking, the secrets about who I was...
“No,” I said. “That’s it. That’s everything.”
She nodded slowly. “For fuck’s sake,” she grunted. And then she was kissing me.
I made a sound of surprise and relief as her lips pressed against mine. My arms came around her automatically, pulling her close, holding her against my chest. I thought I’d never do this again. She tasted like tears and toothpaste and home.
“I’m still angry,” she said against my mouth.
“I know.”
“I’m still scared.”
“I know, baby. It’s totally understandable.”
“I have a million more questions.” She scowled at me.
“I’ll answer every one.”
“And you’re going to grovel for approximately the next century.”
“Yes. Whatever you want.” I kissed her again, deeper, pouring everything into it. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t send me away.”
“The cameras come down.”
“Umm,” I hesitated. “What if I give you access to them?”
She scowled, thought about it for a second, then nodded grimly. “Fine. But you tell me before you do anything else that affects my life.”
“Absolutely.”
