“I know because I’ve seen you and Lincoln together. You respect each other. You like each other. You’re close. I imagine the qualities I see in you—loyalty, honor, integrity, trustworthiness—come from how you were raised.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “They’re going to love you.”
“I hope so. I want to be good for you in every way I can. I’d never want to be a burden or someone who causes a rift in your family. They’re important to you.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t have that kind of family.”
“Me, too. But maybe I’ll have that with you.”
“No maybe about it. You’re a part of me and a part of them now.”
Her eyes glassed over. “Thank you.”
He raised a brow, confused. “For what?”
“Saving me again. In so many ways. I’ve never known kindness and caring the way you wrap it around me with your words and actions and how you share yourself with me.”
“You do the same for me.” He held her close and kissed her on top of her head. “You and me, sweetheart. Forever.”
“You and me. Forever.”
He’d take that promise and give it back to her as long as they lived.
Chapter Sixteen
Neil stared down Desiree, standing on her front porch, Desiree acting like a sentinel, keeping him out. “I want to see her.”
She stepped out onto the small porch and closed the door behind her. “You are a convict. You’re accused of killing Lucky’s family. They found the bloody knife in your room. Your prints were on it.”
“I didn’t fucking kill her family. I loved her. I would never hurt her. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
Desiree eyed him. “Except you did. You killed that guy in prison.”
He fisted his hands at his sides. “He tried to fucking stab me in the back because I wouldn’t join his fucking gang. I defended myself.” He practically spit the words out.
“You stabbed him seven times.” Her accusing gaze held a note of admiration.
Or was that just a figment of his imagination?
Desiree had always had a twisted sense of right and wrong. She loved to push people’s buttons, and she was good at it.
“The guy wouldn’t quit. He kept coming at me, others egging him on. I had no choice. That place is not for the faint of heart.” You lose yourself in there. And he’d been everyone’s target. So he’d learned to toughen up. Stand his ground. Push back when someone pushed him. It was the only way to survive in a cage with all the other wild things locked up with him.
Either you fought or you endured the punishing abuse, hoping you didn’t end up dead. Either way, every second in that place took a piece of his soul.
But he was out and all he wanted to do was seeher. “I need to see her.”
Desiree’s eyes gleamed with scorn. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from us.” She turned and stormed into the house, slamming the door and punctuating the threat he couldn’t heed.
This was too important.
She was his life. He needed her.
Suddenly, he realized he didn’t need Desiree’s permission. He could find another way.
He just had to find the right moment to steal some time with her.
Chapter Seventeen
