Page 197 of Brutal Knight

He stared at me lazily, leaning against the wall. A shoulder lifted. "I know."

"But... What does that mean?"

"I'm here, in whatever capacity you need me. I can be invisible. Or I can be here. You don't have to shoulder this alone. You never do."

"But what if I want to?"

"Then that's okay, too."

We stared at each other, the silence between us not uncomfortable as I tried to understand what he was saying. "So, you're trying to tell me," my brain was slowly getting it, "you're going to follow me around, but not force me to be with you."

"Yes."

"And..."

"And what?"

"Why?"

He leaned forward, kissing my forehead again. "Because you're worth it, Tati. You always have been. I've just been an idiot."

He pulled me into his arms, positioning me so I was comfortable, leaning against his chest. I felt tucked in,safe. "Is that okay?"

I didn't answer for a long moment, considering his words.

Was it okay?

I closed my eyes, resting, until, finally mumbling against his chest. "Yes."

Because it was. Something inside me hummed at his closeness. I'd missed him, achingly bad. Wished he could do exactly this. Be here for me when I was alone and tired. When I needed a shoulder to cry on.

And, even though I wanted to learn to stand on my own two feet, I still wanted him when I was weak and needed him. Maybe I didn't have to be alone to be strong.

"I might run away tomorrow," I warned him, but he chuckled, the sound low, familiar, and comforting.

"I know, polva," a soft kiss to my head. "I know. And that's okay."

I smiled, so weary, but happy, now that he was here with me.

He held me for a long moment, until it was well into the night. And we just laid there, on the floor of a dirty Mexican hotel bar bathroom. Him in his thousand dollar suit, getting dirty, because of me.

Because I was worth it.

I smiled with the thought, because ... because I was beginning to believe it.

"They're in room ten."

"Hmm?" I shifted my head, not opening my eyes because they were too heavy.

"The couple," he clarified. "They're in room ten. They'll be here for three more nights. Then they're off to Taiwan."

I was silent, considering his words. "How do you know that?"

"You doubt the Cadwell charm, darling," he purred, huffing, and I chuckled.

Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

I felt a shoulder come up. "It helped me, anyway. To deal with the anger."

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