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A drop hits my skin, and when I glance down, I see Annie silently crying.

I quickly roll her onto her back and brush her tears away with my fingers. “Shit, I didn’t mean to say all that to put pressure on you. I just want you to feel safe with me.”

She shakes her head and sucks in a quivering breath before saying, “I’m crying because that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”

Bringing her arms up, she wraps them around my neck, and I hold her tight.

“No one’s ever felt about me like that,” she whispers. “Miles and Harlan were my first real friends, and we cared about each other, but that’s all it was. My parents clearly didn’t love me at all, and my ex was just a controlling bastard who wanted to strengthen his connection with my parents.”

I cradle my girl and say, “You have become the only thing that matters to me, Annie. I know it feels quick to you, but I mean it. This isn’t a fly-by-night thing for me. I wouldn’t have started opening up to you if it were. I want you to get to know every part of me so when you tell me you love me, I know you really do and there are no ugly secrets that can get between us.”

“God,” she whispers. “You’ve changed completely. From never saying anything to being so open with me . . . it’s refreshing, and I appreciate it. And yes, it does make me feel safer with you, so thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome, my light.”

I turn onto my back again, and Annie snuggles against my chest before saying, “I might regret this, but what is your darkest secret?”

“Tell me yours first.”

She’s quiet for a few seconds, then clearing her throat, she admits, “I was fourteen when my parents pushed me into a gifted assessment. I didn’t think I was good enough, so I paid a girl with a high IQ to coach me through everything, the patterns, the answers, the way to look smarter than I was. I took the test myself, but I still cheated. Everyone thinks I got a good score, but in the end, I built my life on a lie.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “That’s part of the reason it was so easy to walk away from it. I didn’t earn it, and it’s why I couldn’t handle the pressure.” She turns her head and rests her chin on my pec, her eyebrows pulled together. “I’m not as perfect as you thought.”

“Yes, you are.” The corner of my mouth lifts. “You cheating on a test actually makes you a little more attractive to me. I like knowing you’ll do whatever you have to when push comes to shove. You were fourteen, Annie. And besides, you still did all the studying on your own. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

She considers what I just said, then nods and says, “Your turn.”

Christ, our darkest secrets are vastly different.

I stare into her eyes, trying to memorize the way she’s looking at me right now, because that will change in a minute or so.

Chapter 22

Annie

“I don’t have any secrets. The Bratva knows everything about me,” Rowan murmurs, his tone somber all of a sudden. “But I do have a darkest moment.”

Hundreds of scenarios rush through my mind, and I try to steel myself for what he’s about to tell me.

When I see regret in his eyes, I try to brace for the absolute worst.

“Her name was Katherina. I was around twenty-five when she started working at Bastien’s club. Katherina was nineteen and so beautiful that she quickly became a hit during Bastien’s parties. When she stripped, every eye was on her. For some reason, she started flirting with me, and one thing led to another.” Rowan stops looking at me and stares up at the ceiling, and it has my pulse racing. “We never shared anything personal. It was just sex for almost two years. One night, I was called in to receive my next target, and I walked in on Bastien hitting Katherina. He said she didn’t have a choice and would fuck whoever he ordered her to because he paid ten thousand for her. I just stood there as he beat her to within an inch of her life. That’s the night I learned she was trafficked.”

When he stops talking, I whisper, “That’s so sad.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not done yet.”

No.

I stare at his face as he continues, “Once I was done taking out the target and I got back to the club, I told Katherina our arrangement was over because I wouldn’t sleep with a woman who was conditioned. She was upset, saying I was the one man whose company she actually enjoyed, and asked me to reconsider. I just couldn’t touch her again.”

Oh. That’s not bad.

“A year later, she started fighting back against Bastien and went as far as going to the police. Bastien called me in.”

Pins and needles spread over my body, and I whimper, “No.”

“He gave me the kill order. I knew if I didn’t do it, someone else would, and I’d spend three months in solitary confinement as punishment. I shot Katherina in the back of her head. She didn’t see me coming.”

I pull away and sit up as his confession shudders through my very soul and hug my legs to my chest.