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I loved this man.

Every inch of his grumpy, brooding, logical self.

Residual guilt assailed me and my smile dropped. “Thank you for being here. You didn’t have to stay with me last night.”

Romeo cut his eyes at me the way he’d done a million times before. For someone who didn’t speak a lot, his facial expressions were always loud and clear.

“Yes, I did. What did I tell you last night?”

So many things.I remembered every single one, but the thought of repeating them made emotion burn in my throat.

“You said…” My voice trailed as my thoughts scrambled. I couldn’t think straight when he was looking at me like that.

He held fast to my chin, locking me in place with his piercing stare. “I don’t just up and leave when my heart is involved,Goldyn. You’re not a temporary fling, and I don’t leave the people I love hanging just because they’re having a hard time.”

The people I love.

Tears stung my nose and Romeo shook his head as they welled in my eyes.

“Don’t start that shit. I can’t deal with you crying again.”

And of course, those words flung me right over the edge.

“Sorry,” I gasped, crying anyway. “I love you and it keeps hitting me at the worst times.”

He smirked, running his thumb over a tear. “And when would be the best time for it to hit you, G?”

I smiled through another wave of tears and he mirrored my expression, his eyes softening around the corners as he peered down at me.

“Why am I here, Goldyn?”

“Because I made you give a fuck and you love me.”

He nodded, pride claiming his face at my easy recitation. “And what else?”

“Because I belong wherever you are.”

“Good. And don’t ever forget that shit.”

He’d just put out his jay by stepping on it and pulled me into a hug when we heard tires crunching over rocks. I looked up in time to see Sincere screech to a stop in front of us, throwing his Bronco in park before he climbed down. Lorenzo followed at a much slower pace, looking half asleep while Sincere rushed to my side.

“How the fuck did you know where we were?” Rome grumbled, his hand dropping away from my face to let Sincere pull me in for a hug.

“You share your location with us, remember? We just never had to use it before today because you’re always in one of three places.”

Romeo kissed his teeth and I didn’t bother hiding my smile as Sincere pulled away from the hug to let his concerned gaze rove over me.

“Are you okay, love?”

“Yes,” I breathed, my heart calming from his proximity.

Sincere had the most mellowing effect of anyone I’d ever been around. All I needed to do was be around him half a second and my chest didn’t feel so heavy.

Lorenzo finally reached us, looking between me and Rome and then to Sincere.

“What’s going on?” He pointed a finger at me. “Your phone keeps going straight to voicemail.” He turned to Rome. “And you haven’t answered us since last night.”

“I told you we were safe,” Rome mumbled.