Page 201 of Healed

“I told you I loved you when we were on your bike together, right after you asked me to be your old lady.”

“Wrong.”

“Well… I’ve definitely said it in therapy. I’m sure doctor Ashleigh would have forced me to.”

“Wrong again.”

I was going to wipe that smug smirk off his face.

“I definitely said it when—”

“Let me interrupt you, Rachel, you didn’t say it. No matter when you’re thinking, it never happened.”

“Alright, fucking hell. I didn’t realise you were keeping a diary.”

“No diary, but it’s an interesting observation. One that I thought you would be interested in knowing. I’ve said it,” he replied smugly.

“Oh, well, aren’t you perfect?”

“I happen to think so, yes.”

I gritted my teeth.

“What’s the matter, Rachel? Do you have something you’d like to say?”

I muttered something, but my teeth were clenched so hard even I couldn’t understand it.

“What was that, darling?”

“I love you,” I muttered, my nose scrunching at the unfamiliar words.

“Ahh, there we are. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“Yes. Yes, it was,” I said. He laughed and lowered his head, kissing me firmly.

“Can I hear it again?”

“Don’t be so needy. I’ve officially told you once. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

He laughed even harder, hauling me into his arms.

“Oh, I just bet you will.”

Chapter 66

Vienna

One Year Later

“Dante,” Gabriella panted. “Why can you still not drive a bastard car?”

Rachel cemented her words by smacking Dante on the arm. “I knew this would happen! You should have let me drive!”

“Fat chance of that happening. We’d have ended up dead in a ditch!”

“Don’t say that! You’re stressing her out!”

“You’re all fucking stressing me out!” Dante hissed back. “Just let me fucking concentrate.”