“What do you mean?”
She turned to look at him fully. “I’ve spent my whole life not trusting people. Not letting anyonein. Protecting myself because no one else would. But with you... I trust you completely. Without reservation. And that terrifies me. Because what happens when you’re not there? When this case is closed and you move on to the next victim and I have to figure out how to live without you watching over me?”
Carson’s chest tightened. “Is that what you think? That I’m going to disappear once the case is closed?”
“I don’t know what to think.” Her voice cracked. “Earlier, before Dan came, we were...and you said we’d finish the conversation. But maybe that was just adrenaline. Maybe when you have time to think about it rationally, you’ll realize I’m too damaged, too complicated, too much—”
“Stop.” Carson cupped her face, making her look at him. “Listen to me. You are not too anything. You’re brave and smart and strong. You’re a survivor. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Yes, I can. Because I’m falling for you, Nora. Hell, I’ve probably already fallen. And it has nothing to do with protecting you or saving you or any hero complex.” He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. “It’s because you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years. Because you look at me and see someone worth believing in. Because when I’m with you, I want to be better. To be the man you think I am.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Carson—”
“I’m not good at this. At relationships. At letting people in. But I want to try. With you. If you’ll have me.”
“If I’ll—” She laughed through her tears. “Yes. Yes, of course yes.”
He kissed her then—gentle and careful, mindful of her injuries, her exhaustion, everything she’d been through. But Nora kissed him back with an urgency that said she needed this. Needed him. Needed proof that this was real.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Nora rested her forehead against his.
“What happens now?” she asked.
“Now you rest. You heal. You let yourself feel safe.” Carson pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “And I stay right here. For as long as you need me.”
“What if I need you forever?”
The question was barely a whisper. Vulnerable. Terrified.
Carson pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Then forever it is.”
They stayed like that, wrapped around each other, until Nora’s breathing evened out and she fell asleep against his chest.
Carson held her through the night, watching over her, protecting her even in sleep.
Because that’s what you did for the people you loved.
You stayed.
You protected.
You never let them face the darkness alone.
And somewhere along the way, even though some may say it was too fast, Carson Black had learned to love again.
Chapter 12
Nora woke to sunlight and the smell of coffee.
For one blissful moment, she didn’t remember. Didn’t think about Eugene or Dan or knives or fear. She just registered warmth and safety and the sound of someone moving quietly in the next room.
Then memory crashed back. The hotel, Dan with the knife, Carson shooting him, falling apart in Carson’s arms.
Carson saying he was falling for her.
Carson saying forever.
