She can throw on whatever kind of armor she wants. I want more of that.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, trying to remain unaffected by her distance.
“I’m fine.”
“You needed a little more than superglue this time,” I joke, but it pings off her shield.
I sit on the edge of the bed, wanting to be close to her and for her to see that I’m right here. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my life than when—”
“Well, it’s all over now,” she says, dismissing it.
“Ryder, you saved my life. You took that bullet for me.”
Her eyes drop to the sheet. “Is that why you’re here? To thank me? I was doing my job.”
“Technically, you were no longer on the clock. You moved out, remember?” I stare into those cold, hard blue-green eyes. I love her so damn much. “This was more than a job.Youwere more than my protection agent. Ryder, I—”
“Stop.” She holds out her hand. “It’s done now. You’re safe to get back to football and go on with your life.”
Damn.
She’s not going to make this easy. I drop into the chair next to her bed, planting myself. She may not know it yet, but I can be just as stubborn.
“I don’t want to just get back to football or my life, at least not the way it was. I’m making some changes.” I reach for her hand, fiddling with the sheet, and she pulls it away. “Wherever I go from here, I want you with me.”
“I can’t be a part of your life.” Her voice is only a touch softer.
I lean closer. “You’ve been a part of it for a while now.”
“It was my job. You’ll stay in your wealthy, cozy little world where people bend to your whim, and I’m going back to mine.”
Her first fast punch, but I remain calm.
“Don’t do that. Don’t reduce me to my bank account or my profession.”
Her eyes drag up to mine, completely unfazed by my casualness.
“I have money and fame and people who love me. I won’t discount that. But I’m done with letting people limit me to their expectations or standards. I’m also no longer blind to the kind of world that exists outside of my luxury.”
She huffs. “People like you don’t belong with people like me. You have no idea what this world is really like, and you should keep it that way.”
I pause, giving her a second before I say what I really want to.
I move an inch closer. “I know you’re scared.”
Her mouth hardens, her gaze so fierce it might crack the wall.
“I’m scared, too, Ryder, but I’ve never wanted to let anyone in until you.”
Her chin lifts. “You only think this because you’ve never given anyone else a chance. You’ve been hiding in a game, so you don’t have to face that someone, or this world, might disappoint you. I’m just the casualty outside of your sophisticated world that forced you to see that something else exists.”
Ugh. That hurts.
Everything Tracker trusted me with replays at double speed.
“You’re right.” I lean forward, resting my arms on my knees. “It wasn’t until you bulldozed into my place and my life that I realized how fucking blind I’ve been.”
Her gaze shoots to mine, and my fingers burn with the need to reach for her hand, but I resist.
