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“Good.”

Oh my God. My cheeks were burning. I stayed with Derek for more than two years, and he couldn't have guessed correctly. It was wrong to compare them this way, but I couldn't help it.

“I’ll pay you back.” It was the only thing I could think to say.

His expression immediately changed. “No.”

“I should.”

“No.”

“Knox—”

“You don’t have money.”

The bluntness made me wince. But I did, though. I had a job. I had money. I just didn't have access to my money.

His expression softened slightly. “You’re safe here, Wren. And you don't have to worry about paying me back.”

I swallowed. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“You’re not.”

“But—”

“Wren.”

His voice stopped me. He scrubbed a hand over his face, somehow breathing heavier. “You needed clothes. I got you some. I should have done that a while ago. Don't make this weird.”

I looked down at my fingers as I played with them. “Why?”

The question came out quieter than I intended. For a moment, he didn’t answer.

“Because it’s the humane thing to do.”

But I didn’t believe that. It was an acute response, but it wasn't enough. It couldn't be enough. I stood and walked over to him, my eyes narrowing slightly. “Tell me why, Knox.”

His eyes danced over my face, the sound of my heart beating erratically louder than before. “I wanted to,” he answered softly. “Is that enough for you?”

I looked away before he could see how much those words affected me. “You’re really bad at pretending you don’t care.”

His eyebrows pulled together. “I’m not pretending.”

His response pulled a smile out of me. “No, you're not.”

For whatever reason, he smiled back. Before pulling away, he stopped to press a shocking kiss to my forehead, one that made me shiver like I was in the cold. I wanted to pull him closer and ask him not to go. I wanted to run a hand through his hair and make his head fall against my shoulder until his lips were pressed against my collarbones and other areas, and I was a trembling, distorted mess. Instead, he was already heading in the direction of the kitchen.

I shook myself off the wanton thoughts. What even was that?

“I'm making us dinner tonight,” he called out without looking back.

Suddenly, I was laughing into my palm. The unmistakable warmth flooding me was intense. Who was this man? But it was the startling realization burrowing itself into my thoughts that knocked me off guard. It made me pause.

I wasn’t just hiding in Knox Graves’s house anymore.

I was starting to feel at home.

Chapter Nine