Page 109 of Fighting Conviction

“Heaven, angel. I see Heaven with you.”

Chapter Forty

Soothing warm cinnamon filled Ellie’s nostrils. Her eyes fluttered up and she breathed in the scent as she slowly came to realize she was lying on Dev’s bare chest. Strong arms wrapped around her tighter in confirmation.

“How’re you feeling?” His chest rumbled under her cheek as he spoke. He began to rub slow circles on her back, making the T-shirt he’d given her to wear roll up under his hand.

“Fine, actually.” Ellie lifted her head from his chest and pulled at the T-shirt fabric. “This yours?” She smiled at her joke, knowing good and well it was, but she wasn’t prepared for Dev’s eyes to wrinkle with worry.

“Yeah, do you not remember?”

Guilt pricked her heart and Ellie tried to laugh it off, but the huffs turned into a cough. “Of course, I remember everything. I was teasing you, silly.”

And she did remember everything. Even the parts she wished she could forget.

“I wish we’d stayed and waited for Virginia to wake up.” She’d been rushed into surgery for her bullet wound and loss of blood. Ellie would’ve stayed there all night if Virginia’s parents hadn’t told her to go home and rest.

Dev slipped his hand up her shirt and continued the circles on her bare back. “The doctors said she needed sleep. Besides, her parents were there.”

“You’re right.” She sighed. “They needed their privacy.”

Dev nodded and continued his smooth circles, making Ellie shiver.

“You cold?” He sat up against the headboard and tugged her close before pulling the covers up to her neck.

“Around you?” She giggled. “Never.” His skin scorched hers every time they touched, burning underneath her skin in ways a fire never could.

“Just making sure. You’ve been through a lot. It’d be okay, you know, if you wanted to talk about your feelings or anything.”

His stilted—but sincere—offer to talk made her grin, until she remembered their fight at the hotel. She felt a frown form on her face as her muscles tensed. Rolling her shoulders back, she tried not to show how much her thoughts were affecting her, but as always, Dev saw right through her.

“Come on… what’s on your mind, angel?”

Ellie raised her head from his chest again and sat up. Dev’s arm fell loosely at her hip. “I was in a fire last night.”

“Yes you were.” He sighed, his eyes were downcast and full of… what, guilt? Worry?

“And I got myself outta there…”

“Yeah… what’re you getting at?” His head tilted as it laid against the headboard.

“I can take care of myself, ya know.”

Dev cocked his head and huffed out a laugh. “I know that.”

“You taught me how to, and I used everything you taught me to get outta there all on my own. And with Virginia. I saved us both. And…” She braced herself with a deep inhale and slow exhale. “I saved myself yesterday, and you didn’t even think I could handle even knowing about the party yesterday.”

Dev’s brow furrowed and he sat up until his back was flat against the headboard. “Angel, what’re you talking about?”

“I know you told everyone to be quiet about the party so I wouldn’t find out. Did you really think I couldn’t handle even knowing about it?”

He shook his head slowly, as if he was trying to catch up with her logic. “No…”

“I’ve been working hard on myself. In training. In therapy. You have to believe in me sometimes!” Ellie raised her voice, trying desperately not to sound too emotional and sticking with logic. The best way to get through to Dev.

“You’re right… and I do.”

“And—wait… you do?”