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“He made a copy of secret recordings… including the one of him…” Her voice broke and her hand flew to her mouth. “Noah, I think I’m going to be sick.”
He picked her up and rushed her to the bathroom. He held her head as she dry-heaved, his insides twisting with every hoarse sound. When she exhausted herself, he set her down on the vanity and grabbed a new toothbrush from the cabinet.
“Have you eaten at all today?” he asked.
Bruised, beautiful grey eyes met his in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. “Half a frozen yogurt at lunchtime.”
He waited until she’d rinsed her mouth and handed her a face towel. “Think you can handle any food if I rustle something up?”
“You don’t have to?—”
“You need to eat.” He stood behind her and traced his fingers through her hair. “Let me take care of you, baby. Stay here tonight. Please.”
Their eyes locked. Held.
“Yes, Noah.”
Relief rushed through him and his fingers tightened in her hair. “This isn’t something we brush away as inconvenient or walk away from when the going gets tough. You’re mine. Even when I threaten to kick your ass, you’ll still be mine. Mine to take care of.” He bit her nape lightly and traced the hurt with his tongue. “Mine to fuck. Mine to cherish.” She trembled beneath his touch and gripped the sink. “Walking away shouldn’t be the first option when things get tough. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“And Leia?”
“Yes?”
“I’ll find Willoughby, and I’ll make the bastard pay. Trust that too.”
He didn’t demand an answer because her eyes filled with tears. He caught her to him and just held her tight through her silent weeping.
When it trailed off to hiccups, he kissed the top of her head. “Shower?”
She nodded.
He led her upstairs to his suite and pointed to the door at the far end. “Dressing room through there when you’re done. Find something to wear and come find me.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
He left her in the middle of the room and walked out before he could voice the words tumbling through his head. Words he wasn’t sure he understood completely.
They’d survived their first day back in reality.
Noah was prepared to take that as a win.
35
She started to pull off her top and caught sight of her tattoo.
From a broken acorn…
Before yesterday, she alone knew what it meant. Now Noah King knew the pain and horror that had gone into each letter. He knew, and he still wanted her.
Fresh tears threatened as she stood under the shower. She’d almost walked away from that. From him, his strength, his indomitable will and determination to right everything that was wrong in her life.
What will the rest of it say?
He’d asked her that about her tattoo. She still didn’t know. But she was hanging on to the hope that one day she would. And she sure as hell was going to hang on to him if he wanted her. Part of the reason she’d fought so hard to come here tonight to end things was because she’d been terrified of the depths of her feelings for Noah. When she’d walked away from him this morning, she’d felt as if her very existence was ripping in two.
She’d carried his last touch on her nape through the day, touching herself there when her world had threatened to cave it on itself.