Page 97 of Love, Hate, Love

“But I owe youeverything. You didn’t think that I deserved to know what you did for me? That it might make a difference?”

“I wanted you to wantme, not because I did that.” I shook my head. If she’d come here to repay some debt, none of this mattered. I didn’t want her like that. I wanted her heart, nothing more, nothing less.

“Kade Hawk, you are as blind as your brother says you are. Don’t you know? I wanted you the day I walked onto this ranch. I have wanted you since I was that fourteen-year-old kid you teased. I watched you like you were a god. Sometimes I wonder if I wanted you since the first moment I saw you, because I don’t remember a day in my life that Ididn’twant you. I don’t think I could ever stop wanting you. I’ve loved you since before I knew what love was.”

“Even after everything? The way I handled things? I was horrible. You shouldn’t even want to speak to me. I should’ve known you were innocent.”

“And I should’ve known you weren’t an evil bastard,” she said, a smile touching her lips.

“That’s not your fault. I do a really good impression of one.”

She stood there staring at me, and it was taking everything I had not to walk over, grab her, drag her into the house, and lock the doors so she could never leave.

Instead I said, “Do you want to come in?” I hooked a thumb toward the door. If she walked in, she was mine. I wasn’t letting her leave. Not again. The first time had nearly killed me. Now that I knew, no way would I let her go again.

She took a step toward me. Against my better instincts, I held up a hand.

She flinched, as if she were expecting some kind of rejection, and it was like someone had taken a stake to my heart.

“I thought you wanted me to come in?” Her voice was soft.

“I do. More than you know. That’s the problem.” I stepped closer as I fought the urge to grab her off her feet. “You come in, I’m not sure I’ll let you leave.”

She took another step forward, sealing her fate as she closed the distance between us. My body tensed as I watched her. We were only a couple feet away from each other and it took everything I had to not wrap my arms around her and drag her the rest of the way inside.

She stood before me, her hair cascading over her shoulders, her cheeks tinged with pink from the chill while her eyes sparkled with emotion. I’d forgo every sunrise for the rest of my life if I could look at her every day.

“What if I don’t want to leave?” she said.

Those words broke the last chains holding me back. I closed the distance between us in one step and lifted her, her feet dangling as I hugged her to me.

She wrapped her arms around me, burying her head in the crook of my neck.

“I love you,” I said. “I love you more than I imagined was ever possible, more than this ranch, and if you ever leave me again, I don’t think I’ll survive.”

“I’m not going to. I promise.”

Chapter43

Kade

Edwin was sitting,having a drink, waiting for his meeting, when I walked in and took the seat across from him.

He looked up and then jerked back.

“Kade. What are you doing here?” He shifted in his seat, looking at the door and then me.

“Had some business to take care of.”

“It’s great to see you, but I’m actually waiting for someone who should be here any second. I’d love to catch up with you later, though.”

Liar. Ten years ago I’d been instantly in awe of him. Now? I spotted a rat trying to scurry out of a trap.

He’d known I was onto him since the wedding, but he wasn’t sure how much I knew. I was here to tell him exactly what I had on him, and it was a mountain of information.

“I’myour meeting,” I said.

He laughed for a second, his hands trembling a bit as he took a sip of his drink.

---