“She deserved an older brother who could protect her.” The truth and the lie were all mixed together.
Claire’s expression softened. “Is that why you’re so good at this? At pushing me when I need it? Because you understand the guilt?”
“Maybe.” Probably. “Or maybe I just recognize strength when I see it.”
She smiled. Leaned down and kissed him. Soft. Sweet. Nothing like the desperate passion from earlier.
“I can’t stop saying it…thank you,” she whispered against his mouth.
“For what?”
“For seeing me. Not just the FBI agent, the victim, or the survivor. But me.”
Garrett’s throat was tight. She was thanking him for something he didn’t deserve. He wasn’t seeing all of her. He was seeing CJ, Lily’s best friend. The other girl he’d failed to protect fifteen years ago.
But he couldn’t say that. So instead, he pulled her closer, kissed her again, and tried to memorize every detail of this moment before it all fell apart.
They slept, and when he woke to her hands exploring him beneath the covers, he made love to her again. Slower this time. More tender. He took his time, learned what made her gasp, what made her moan, what made her say his name like a prayer.
When they finally collapsed, exhausted and sated, Claire fell asleep almost immediately. The stress and trauma of the past days finally caught up with her.
Garrett lay awake, watching her sleep. She was curled on her side, facing him. One hand was carefully tucked under her cheek. Her breathing was deep and even. Peaceful for the first time since she’d arrived.
And all he could think was:I’m going to lose her.
Not to Derek. He’d make damn sure Derek never touched her. But to the truth. To the Bobby revelation. To the knowledge that he’d been lying to her from the start.
She’d hate him. And she’d have every right to.
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. She didn’t stir. He was both glad and disappointed.
He’d told Vivi he’d tell her after Derek was caught. But now, lying here with her next to him, he wondered if that was just another excuse. Another way to delay the inevitable. Because the truth was, he didn’t want to lose this. Didn’t want to lose her. And once she knew who he really was, everything would change.
I’m sorry, CJ, he thought.I’m sorry I’m too much of a coward to tell you the truth.
But tomorrow—tomorrow he’d catch Derek and then sit her down and explain everything. Tomorrow he’d face whatever came.
In the final hours before dawn, he’d just hold her and pretend they had forever.
Garrett woketo sunlight streaming through the window and Claire’s warm body pressed against his. She was still asleep, her hair spread across the pillow, one arm draped over his chest.
He checked his watch—0743 hours. The meeting at the police station was at ten. They had time.
Not enough, though. Never enough.
Claire stirred, made a slight sound. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused for a moment. Then she saw him and smiled. “Hey,” she said, voice rough with sleep.
“Hey, yourself.”
“Did you sleep?”
“Some.” More than he usually got. “I shirked my bodyguard duties, though.”
Claire stretched, chuckled. “I’d say you were as close to me as you could get. Your protection service is first-rate.”
He pinched her side playfully, and she let out a little yelp. She propped herself up, the sheet slipping. “We should probably talk about this.”
Garrett’s chest tightened. “Yeah, we probably should.”
