His hands curled around her shoulders. “Delaney.”
“They took us out to the desert. Locked us in this place.” She wet her lips. “I’m pretty sure they are just waiting for Kurt to arrive. Then they are going to dump your body out here. And, probably, eventually, mine, too.”
His grip tightened. “When was the second time?”
“What?” He’d lost her.
“I heard you talking,” he growled. “You said ‘the first time I fell in love with you’ just a minute ago. When was the second time? Because you made it sound like there was a second time.”
He was focusing on that? When they were about to die? A half laugh, half sob broke from her. “They brought us out here to kill us. There is no sign that the CIA is going to arrive with guns blazing. We are on our own. The bad guys searched your body. They searched mine. They took all the weapons that you had hidden on you. We have nothing to use against them.”
One hand rose to curl under her jaw. “I didn’t want you to know the truth about your grandfather.”
“Oh, no.” She sucked in a breath. “You’re finally going to confess all because you think we’re both dying. You think this is it. The end for us.” Unfortunately, he was probably right. This was it. She knew it, too. “So, what, we’re supposed to get everything off our chests now? You want to give me the truth before you die?”
“I never wanted you to know the truth.” His fingers rubbed lightly along her jaw. A soft caress. “I could have knocked the hell out of Logan Sterling for telling you about your grandfather.”
His touch was so gentle. “You have a concussion.” By his own admission. “You probably have no idea what you’re saying.”
“I’m saying that I never stopped loving you. I sent you away because it was the only choice I had.”
She blinked quickly. Those were beautiful words. Words she’d dreamed of hearing so many times. But not here. Not now. Not when she thought he’d be executed in front of her, and she’d be crying over his dead body at any moment.
Why couldn’t he have told her the truth a year ago? Two years ago? Eight years ago? Why couldn’t they have gotten a chance to enjoy some happiness together? Instead, she’d just gotten him back in her life. Now he was going to die.
So was she.
“We always have choices,” Delaney murmured. “You could have told me what was happening. We could have worked it out together.” Now there was no time left to work anything out.
“The truth is…” His thumb brushed over her lower lip. “I was not strong enough to protect you back then.”
She didn’t believe that. Nash was the strongest man she knew. He’d been taking out those guys in the parking garage like it was nothing. She and Nash had been escaping. Until he’d been hit by a van.
Another gentle brush of his thumb. “But I am now. I am strong enough now.”
“Uh, Nash, I hate to break it to you, but we are locked in hell.” As close to hell as she could get. “We have no weapons. You’re injured. We’ve been taken to the desert to meet up with Kurt. I am ninety-nine percent sure that he plans to finish you off and dump your body out here where it will never be found.”
“I’ll kill him first.”
Okay, so maybe being delusional went along with a concussion?
“I’ll kill them all,” he promised.
Her eyes closed.
“I just need you to stay back. I need you to be safe. When I start attacking, don’t fucking jump in front of me again. Stop doing that shit. I’m saving you, sweetheart.”
“Yeah, cute, concussion,” she reminded him. “How about we figure out a way to save each other?” Her eyes flew back open. All she could see was a shadowy outline of him.
“Your grandfather came to my apartment.” Low. Flat. “I had no idea who he was. Even told him that I thought he might be at the wrong address. And then I saw your mother, standing behind him. She had tears on her cheeks.”
Goosebumps rose over her skin. Odd because it was warm in that little building.
“They came inside. He introduced himself. Said his name was Carmello Ricci and that he was your grandfather.” A pause. “I told him that I loved you. Hell, I was happy to meet him at first. I didn’t understand…” Nash’s words drifted into silence. A soft exhale. “He said if I loved you, if I really loved you, I would get to prove that love.”
Her chest burned. She’d asked him for the why behind their breakup so many times, but, in that terrible moment, she didn’t want to hear the explanation. Maybe it would be better to die without knowing. Did that make her a coward? Yes.
Dammit.
