Page 114 of Love Me

A light atmosphere surrounds us, making reality better than any dream.

With full bellies, we go to the living room, and she crawls on the big, comfy couch and lays her head on my chest. I put on a movie, and she whispers, “I wish we could stay here.”

“We will.” Just not now, but we will. This is a vow.

“Will you play for me again?”

“I never stopped playing for you.”

“I never stopped loving you.”

Those words coming from her mouth are a symphony for my heart.

She brushes her finger against my chin. “I don’t want to hide stuff anymore. So please, swear to me, you’ll never break my trust again.”

“I swear.”

“My father is alive.”

At my lack of reaction, her body tenses.

“I know. I tracked your phone and followed you that night when you stole my key and went to my old house, snooping around Felix’s office. And then I heard you, Mia, and Hunter talking about him, so I paid your father a visit.”

“The bike that followed me. It was you, wasn’t it?” Vulnerability threads through her voice.

“Yes.”

“I should have known.” She looks down, fidgeting with her fingers.

I can’t have her retreat in her head. We must resolve our mess once and for all.

“That I have a bike? That I am obsessed with you? That I would die for you? Which one, baby?”

“You wanted me to trust you based on promises I thought you broke…”

“I know, but that was all I had left… that small hope that you could not believe I betrayed or stopped loving you. Get angry with me. Yell at me. Whatever it takes to leave that part of our lives behind.”

“No, Kaden. I can’t promise we won’t fight in the future, but I’m done with that anger owning me. Your letters and accepting the truth that you love me have healed me. It’s just hard to accept that I failed my mission. After all the training and the trust my father put in me.” She swallows hard, twisting my heart.

“Celine, no. Don’t think like that.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, my thumb caressing the pulsing vein in her neck.

“You’re not the only one who has learned stuff. Every one of us had to juggle the masks we wear in front of the Family. We have the money to disappear, but we won’t be free until we make sure they can’t track us down.”

“I can’t believe my father didn’t tell me about you.” Her voice breaks, and I pull her to my chest, kissing the top of her head.

“You’re my priority. I just want to be there for you.”

“I think your father is keeping my mother hidden.”

“Then we’ll find her. Together.”

She eyes me, those eyes where love wins the battle over her frustration. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“But trust me, okay?”

“It must have been quite a surprise to see me like that in my coveralls, breaking and entering.”

“I was half hard, half terrified.”

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