Page 73 of Darling Psycho

He’d missed her, too. More than he’d allowed himself to feel.

His pulse jogged, and then it fucking sprinted at an alarming rate hearing her sorrow.

No one had ever missed him.

Not really.

Not for long.

Because Lawless permitted no one to attach to him, leaving people behind had been easy. He could pack a bag, walk away, and never look back.

He’d stupidly thought she’d get over him in a matter of days. Then, she’d move on with her life and be fucking spectacular all on her own. Now he heard her agony and realized his grave mistake in cutting the ties the way he had.

Lawless let her bombard him with her tears and kisses.

She was hopeless and breathtaking, and his blood hummed within his veins at the gift she was giving. But, being the wrong guy, he didn’t know how to comfort anyone; he wasn’t built that way.

He could lash someone’s back open while they begged for the pain, string them up and deny their every pleading word. And they’d be so grateful when he let them down, floating in subspace. But he didn’t do aftercare; he comforted no one, assuming they were big enough to come to him for whatever kink they needed. So they could also take care of their puny feelings, too.

Knowing that’s how he was, it didn’t stop Lawless from wrapping both arms around the sobbing body and holding Angela close until her face found the side of his neck, and her cries started to taper off into brief hiccups.

No one could mistake Lawless for being a kind man, but she was cracking his chest open to pour in her little girl tears, and for once, there was no solution other than to keep his arms around her until Angela settled.

When he finally lifted her face from his chest to look at her, her eyes were like shining ebony. So fucking beautiful, and he knew in that second he was so fucked. More fucked than he’d been before when he ultimately let the truth free of the nasty feelings he had for this younger woman.

He’d fanned the flames.

He’d fed it bits of meat, didn’t he?

In this instant, Lawless was the bad fish because he saw it a long time ago, felt it, and didn’t do a thing to stop it from growing weeds around his heart.

Her pain was like stabbing needles in his chest.

The craving agony crawled its way through the front wall of his brain and took root.

He’d wanted nothing as much as he wanted this woman.

Own her.

Tame her.

Make her live in his darkness.

The wrongness was on many levels, but Lawless had accepted it. No need to beat a dead horse with what he already knew.

“You went away,” she sniffled as a lone tear tracked down her cheek. Lawless thumbed it away, bringing it to his tongue to taste her upset.

“I did, and what you said is bullshit, Angela. You’re not worth revenge? You’re not worth me tracking down a murderous motherfucker who, if he had the chance, would have sold you to the highest bidder? You listen to me and listen well; three years is nothing. It was a blip. I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Her eyes, so dark and full of tears, killed him.

“I made that wrong right, and I’ll make this right again. You trust me, angel?”

She nodded.

“I’m your best friend. Isn’t that what you always said?”

Angela grumbled, noncommittal.