Page 84 of When He Fights
“You didn’t love me two years ago.You’ve barely been back in my life for a few days, and I get that you didn’t magically fall in love with me this fast.You want me.I want you.The sex is incredible between us.But I knew it wouldn’t last.I knew there was going to be no future relationship between us.This—this moment in time, it’s all we have.”Because when the threat was over, he’d go back to his life.“I don’t even know where you live,” she suddenly blurted.The words were the absolute truth.“I don’t know what you do when you aren’t protecting me.What makes you happy.How you spend your days and your nights.I don’t know.”
His eyes seemed to see straight through her.“You’re right.You don’t know.”
Okay, that hurt even more.What was she, a glutton for punishment?“The bathroom is yours.”Forget drying her hair.She’d go out and take her tattered pride with her.
“No, you’re mine.”
Uh, say again?
He stalked ever closer to her.The look in his eyes and on his face was just so predatory and possessive and dark that she found herself backing up.A quick retreat even though Ana knew that—physically—Kane would never hurt her.Emotionally?Oh, yes, he’d wreck her emotionally.
Been there, done that.
But you couldn’t make someone love you so?—
“You are mine,” he said again.
Her back hit the wall.
His hands rose and caged her, palms pressing into the wall on either side of her.“And you don’t know.”
Uh, hadn’t she covered that part already?She didn’t know what his life was really like when he wasn’t protecting her.
“You don’t know that I have spent the last two years thinking about you.”
Her eyes widened.
“How do I spend my nights?I spend them dreaming about you.”
No, he had not said that to her.No way.This was an auditory hallucination.Must be.
“My days?I do protection gigs.I’m strictly freelance because I have a freaking ton of cash that I’ve amassed over the years.Cash I got from taking some of the most dangerous jobs out there.I only work by referrals now, and those referrals typically come from Gray or Tyler.You see, we all served together years ago.Semper Fi.”A growl.
She wet her lips.
His gaze fell to her mouth.He sucked in a breath.Slowly, very, very slowly, his gaze rose to catch her stare once again.“Always faithful,” he murmured.
Yes, yes, she knew what Semper Fi meant.
“That’s what I’ve been since the first time I met you.”
Ana shook her head, not understanding.
“I’m a damn liar, sweetheart.”
She wanted to retreat more, but he’d trapped her.Maybe she could duck under one of his arms and run past him.
“I’ve lied to you before.And I just lied my ass off to Tyler two minutes ago.Because love has everything to do with the current situation.At least, where you are concerned.”
There was no way Ana was hearing him correctly.No.Way.She went back to her auditory hallucination theory.
“I met you two years ago.You were scared and brave and funny and so vulnerable at the same time.I wanted to take you away.I wanted to eliminate every threat to you.But I knew it was the wrong time.You were living on nerves and terror, and the last thing you needed was me telling you that I’d live and die for you.”
Ana blinked.
“But here’s the truth.”He leaned in closer.“I would live and die for you.”
Ana could not breathe.
