Page 43 of The Stolen Dagger
“Her partner died a few years back,” she said quietly, her voice full of emotion. “She wasn’t ready to leave. They’d had so many memories together in that house. She loved her more than anything. And now Adrian might have her.”
Feeling the need to comfort her, I stepped around the counter and wrapped her in my arms. She rested her ear on my chest as she returned my hug. I placed my chin on the top of her head, relishing in the feel of her body against mine. “You can’t blame yourself for Adrian’s actions.”
“But if it weren’t for me, Adrian wouldn’t have gone after her to begin with.”
“Maybe,” I stroked her hair, “but I’m sure she doesn’t regret helping you leave. From what you’ve told me; you’re like a daughter to her. She chose to help you.”
Katherine trembled against me, and an ache filled my chest at what she must be feeling. I could tell that guilt consumed her at what Adrian might do to Pearl.
I knew that feeling of guilt all too well with my profession. It was often heavy and suffocating, but what got me through it was Leah and my family.
They supported me, made me understand that peoplemade their own choices, set their own paths, and there was little you could do to change the actions of others.
I leaned back, one arm still around her waist, and tilted up her chin with my other hand. “I promise I won’t let Adrian hurt you. We’ll make sure Pearl is all right.”
Katherine looked up at me, her gaze watery. “What if he gets to Leah?” she asked in a whisper, as if afraid to voice her question aloud.
My features softened. “I’ll make sure Leah is protected. Besides, she knows self-defense just as well as you do.”
“It’s not just Leah I’m worried about.” Her deep brown gaze shifted between my eyes, and suddenly, I realized her meaning.
Katherine was worried about me.
After everything she’d been through, after being targeted by not one but now two different gangs, and being attacked, she was still more worried about Leah and me.
Her admission warmed something in my chest. The feeling was strange but not completely foreign when it came to her. It was a new feeling, though, and it felt … good. It felt right.
“Katherine …” I trailed off and cupped her face in my hands. My gaze flickered between hers as I tried to formulate the words to express what I was feeling.
The urge to kiss her was strong, and my gaze flicked down to her parted mouth and back up to her captivating eyes, only to catch her doing the same to me.
Then she surprised me by closing the short distance between us and pressing her soft lips to mine.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
KATHERINE
Kissing Drew was so much different from anything I had experienced with Adrian.
Adrian was hard and aggressive, selfish even, when it came to anything physical. He took what he wanted, convincing me it was what I wanted, too. He didn’t care about anyone but himself and his needs.
Adrian had been my first in everything. First boyfriend, first kiss, first love. Because I hadn’t known any different, I’d gotten used to his roughness, thinking it was normal.
But when I met Drew, I realized it was anything but.
Drew was tender and passionate and patient. He took charge in the best way, almost like he knew what I needed before I did.
Drew showed me what it meant to be taken care of by a real man. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to be cared for—loved.
And that was how this kiss felt. It was deep and desperate but filled with so much emotion and need and warmth.
I’d been holding back and pushing him away for so long that just being near him made me go crazy.
Like a tide, there was this constant push and pull between us. It was only a matter of time before the current went rogue and crashed against a neighboring tide.
I couldn’t take the tiptoeing around each other anymore. I wanted him.
I moaned into the kiss, missing all the time we could have been together.
