Page 74 of Cruel Betrayal

She crosses the room and pulls me into a tight hug, her face pressing into my chest. “Thank you. I need time to think about this but thank you. I didn’t expect this and it’s a lot.”

I hug her back, not sure if she’s going to go through with it, but if she is, I’m going to be there every step of the way. All I want is for my love to figure out she’s more than the family backing her.

And maybe I need to figure that out for myself too.

I let out a slow breath, kissing the top of her head. “I want this to be more than me being obsessed with you. I don’t know how or when, but you became something more for me, and I hope you feel the same way about me.”

She looks up at me, that slow smile spreading across her face. “You infuriate me, and I’m still pissed at you for kidnapping me and holding me hostage, but I think this is more than an obsession too.”

I kiss her then, losing myself in the feeling of her lips against mine. The way her body presses into me as I cup the back of her head, trying to make sure I never have to leave her again.

At least, not until I need to take a breath.

My phone starts ringing as I pull back from her.

I swipe to accept the call, hating the sight of Noah’s name there. “Yes?”

“Last-minute fight tonight. The warehouse. Be there in an hour.” He ends the call before I can reply, leaving no room for argument.

I sigh and slip the phone back into my pocket, turning back to Jade. “I’m going to take you home, and then I have to go to a fight tonight.”

The color drains from her face as she looks up at me. “You’re going to fight with everything going on right now?”

“I don’t have much of a choice. Either I show up to the fight, or he tracks me down.” I reach out and tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It’s going to be fine. Noah still needs me too much to kill me.”

“You have to promise me that you’re going to come back home.”

Though I don’t want to make her a promise I know I can’t keep, I don’t want to risk her coming after me and being close to Noah again either. I cup her face in my hands, kissing her quickly.

“I’m going to come home.” Now I just have to find a way to keep my promise.

Chapter Twenty-Two

JADE

It’s notlike Ezra to not answer his phone, especially since the last-minute fight a few nights ago. He’s been answering it immediately or returning my calls within two hours at the most, but for whatever reason, that’s not the case today.

I don’t know if something bad happened or not.

He was going to a fight that was supposed to be over at nine. It’s now midnight, and there’s still not a word from him.

With a deep breath, I dial his number again, waiting for him to answer until it goes to voicemail. “I don’t know what you’re doing, Ezra, but if you don’t let me know that you’re alive within the next hour, I’m going to call my brothers and send them after you.”

I end the call, but it’s not as satisfying as slamming down the phone and letting the other person know you’re pissed without a single word.

As I sit down, palms sweaty and heart racing, I wait for the phone to ring. Or beep. Anything to let me know that he got the message and Noah didn’t have him killed.

I need to know he’s alive.

The desperation keeps bubbling to the surface, and I don’t know what to do about it.

There’s not a single time in my life I’ve ever felt this way about anyone else, and it scares the hell out of me.

I have to know if he’s alive. He has to be alive.

I pick up the phone again, waiting for that damn ring and the horrible feeling of going to voicemail yet again. “I swear, if you’re not going to answer me soon, I’m going to lose my mind.”

What the hell am I doing?