“I know it might not mean a lot, but I wanted you to know that there is a possibility that you weren’t the one that killed Will,” I told her.
She smiled, her eyes becoming slightly teary. “Thank you. Not just for that, but for everything. I’ve never had anyone fight for me like this before.”
“When you’re the only thing grounding me to this Earth, you’re more than worth fighting for, Freya. I’m nothing if not with you.”
“Kaleb, that’s not true.”
I chuckled. “You are the only thing that keeps me sane, and when, not if, but when you fully accept me again, I’ll be here. Even if I have to wait a lifetime.”
I grunted as I pushed the barbell up for yet another rep, sweat trickling down my bare chest before I wracked it. Working out had been the only way to stop me from stalking down to the prison and gripping Mark’s neck until he was red in the face. The thought that what he’d got his own daughter involved in had affected her to where she couldn’t sleep or even think in peace irked me.
The sound of the doorbell to my apartment ringing pinched me from my thoughts, and I wiped my sweaty hands on my grey sweatpants before opening it. Surprise took over when I spotted a sheepish-looking Freya.
“You’re early,” I said.
“Sorry,” she muttered, stepping in, her gaze fixated on my shirtless form. “I thought the drive would take longer, and frankly, I was excited to see the place.”
I smiled. I wasn’t complaining about getting to spend more time with her.
My apartment was pretty nice—since I had the money to afford a swanky one. It was around a twenty-minute drive from my old house, which meant I could easily stop by and check on my mother when I needed to.
“Still not subtle with your staring, I see,” I teased, chuckling, causing Freya to narrow her eyes at me.
“Still not subtle with your arrogance, I see,” she remarked.
God, I wanted to kiss her. So badly. But this was on her terms. I understood there was a boundary, and I would not disrespect her by crossing it when she wasn’t ready.
Her mood had improved since our visit to Pierce. It didn’t kill off her inner demons in one big swoop by any means, but it helped, and that was all I wanted. Step by step. Little by little.
“You said Brent was on his way?” Freya looked unnerved by the thought. They’d been friends, and he’d also lied to her about her father. It wasn’t easy for him to do so, and I knew he felt guilty about it.
“And Kaylee,” I responded as I gave her a tour of the apartment. “Their flight landed about thirty minutes ago, so they should be here in the next hour.”
Freya nodded, distracted by my large king-sized bed, her eyes skating over the soft fabric covering it before she sighed. I knew what she was thinking, and it caused the flaming pit in my stomach to flourish.
I showered while she waited in my bedroom for me, cuddling under my blankets and tapping away on her phone, looking for inspiration for a new design for a client. She’d received her first project to complete alone and was panicking about not coming up with something good enough.
That thought was laughable, though. The talent she possessed was unmatched.
“Freya,” I called from the bathroom.
“Yeah?”
I ground my teeth together. “I left my towel out there. Can you please grab it for me, sweetheart?”
I heard her shuffle around for a few seconds before she opened the bathroom door, my towel clutched in her hands. I hadn’t asked her to come in, but her curiosity had clearly got the best of her, and her gaze travelled down the entire length of my body. Her lips parted, her pupils dilating.
“Baby, you’re going to need to stop looking at me like that,” I took a step toward her, “before something happens that I know you’re not ready for.”
I would never touch her—not if she didn’t want me to. But right now, it looked like lust was clouding her judgement, and I didn’t want her to allow something to happen, only for her to regret it later.
Freya sucked on the inside of her cheek, holding her head high. “How do you know what I’m ready for?”
I cocked my head. I could feel the blood rushing to my dick at her words, and she seemed to notice it, too, her eyes growing. “Your body language speaks volumes, my little artist, and you’re still tense around me.”
Her shoulders immediately dropped, indicating that she’d suddenly realised how strained they were—despite how turned on she was.
“I’m not going to touch you until you show me you’re completely and utterly comfortable.” Taking the towel from her and tying it around my waist, I moved towards the doorway, lingering behind her. “Until then, don’t forget that you’re still mine.”