“I can’t believe it. If you hadn’t been there…” She’s shaking, holding on to my arm as I drive. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“Don’t think about it. You’re safe now. Nobody will ever hurt you as long as I’m around.”
“You killed him.” It isn’t a question.
She deserves the truth. “I killed him.”
Her silence leaves me wondering how she feels, but I won’t push her on it. She might need time to process. Not much time, as it turns out. “I was so scared back there. Terrified. Not just for me, either. I was afraid for you.”
“You never have to worry about me. I can handle myself.”
“Still. I was. I wanted to go out there and help you. I thought, what will I do if anything happens to Lucian? Especially knowing you were defending me. I wouldn’t want to live with myself if you didn’t make it out of that.”
“But I did, Rowan.” When it doesn’t seem like that makes her feel better, I pull the car over and turn to her, pulling her close. “I’m okay. So are you. There’s nothing to be afraid of now.”
“There’s everything to be afraid of!” She bursts into violent sobs that shake herentire body. “I don’t feel safe anywhere. Only when I’m with you. I should be afraid of you after what you did, but all I want is to be with you always because I’m safe with you. I don’t know what to think anymore.”
I pull her away from my chest and take her face in my hands. Hands I used only minutes ago to kill for her. “Listen to me. If you want, you don’t ever have to be afraid again. It doesn’t have to be the way it was before. It can be you and me. No arrangements, no encounters. And I swear, I’ll do my best to be a better man for you.”
Her sobs have quieted into sniffles. “Really?” she whispers, and the hope in it both thrills and humbles me. The most precious, valuable thing in the world, and all she wants is to know I mean what I say.
“Really. I’ll do whatever it takes, so long as you’re willing to give me another chance.”
Her head bobs up and down. “I want that.” Anything else she might’ve wanted to say is muffled when I cover her mouth with mine, taking the kiss I’ve craved over the endless days we’ve been apart. She’ll never know what a gift she just gave me.
I plan to show her, though—every single day from now on.
Epilogue
Rowan
One Year Later
It’s dark out here. Quiet as a graveyard. Only I’m not in a graveyard. I’m in the park, and it’s the middle of the night. I’m walking fast, hands in my pockets, eyes scanning the area. Pretty, old-fashioned lights dot both sides of the path I’m walking down, but between them, the shadows are as dark as ink. There could be anybody hiding in shadows that deep.
I’m counting on it.
My heels click against the concrete, and the sound echoes all around me. It’s chilly, and my breath forms a cloud around my head. I come to a bend in the path and take it, glancing over my shoulder when leaves blow across the ground behind me.
A hand clamps over my mouth before I have the chance to scream, and an arm wraps around my waist. Before I can acknowledge what is happening, I’m being dragged off the path and across the grass. I kick and swing my arms, but it’s no use. I can’t get him off me.
He throws me against a tree and presses himself against me, pinning me against the trunk. His breath is hot in my face, and his hands are everywhere, running up my skirt, tearing open my blouse. “What’s a little girl like you doing walking around the park at this time of night, huh? Wearing these fuck me heels and a skirt so short the whole world can see your ass.”
His mouth skims my throat, teeth nipping my earlobe before he whispers in myear again. “Like you don’t want this. Teasing everybody who sees you. Practically begging to get fucked like this.”
“Please, don’t do this!” I shove at him, slapping his hands frantically when he starts pulling down my thong. “Don’t! Stop!”
“Don’t stop?” Lucian laughs nastily as he pulls the thong to my ankles, then forces my legs apart with his knee. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
I fight a little more just for the sake of playing along, but the truth is, I’m soaking wet by the time he shoves his dick into me. He fucks me hard, fast, almost brutally. The way he needs it. The way I like it.
He grunts against my neck. “Fucking slut. Begging to be grabbed. Begging to be fucked hard like this. Showing off those tits.” He buries his face in them, and I have to bite back a moan when he finds my nipple and bites down.
“You like that, huh? You like getting fucked like this?”
“Yes… yes…” I close my eyes and give in, not playing anymore. “Fuck me harder.”
“Come on this cock, baby. Come for me.” He drives himself faster, harder, and we come together in a breathless rush that almost knocks me off my feet. I shudder in his arms, moaning against his shoulder to keep our little secret quiet.
