Page 77 of The Stolen Dagger
“When I came back to the apartment and you were gone,” Drew released a shuddering breath and shook himself as if in pain, “I thought the worst. I thought someone got to you.” He pulled me in by the grip on my neck and plundered my mouth with a quick, hard kiss.
“But then I found the note you left, and I was so mad.”
Kiss.
He pulled back. “I can’t believe you thought that was okay.”
Kiss.
“You can’t just say goodbye with a fucking note?” he grumbled.
Kiss.
“How could you leave like that?” he asked accusingly.
Stunned by the combination of his harsh words and hot kisses, I blinked up at him. He was obviously upset by my leaving. I knew he would be, but seeing it up close like this made me realize how wrong I had been to leave in the first place. Despite me trying to protect him, I hurt him instead.
I swallowed down my guilt. “I thought it was for the best.”
“It wasn’t,” he said firmly. “I was so worried about you.But something didn’t feel right. So I called Leah, but she didn’t answer. Then I called Tyler. Leah was with him and said she’d lost her phone an hour before you said she called you. I knew something was wrong and figured, either way, you were most likely heading for the dagger. It didn’t take long to find Pearl’s address after that.”
“But why?” I asked. “I left you. I hurt you. I’ve pushed you away at every turn. Why do you care enough to continue to come after me? To follow me all the way here?”
His large hands cupped both sides of my cheeks and leaned in so our lips were just inches from one another. “Because I love you.”
He pressed his lips to mine in a desperate kiss, and I could only melt into his embrace. I was left breathless when he pulled back.
“Even if you said you never wanted to see me again, I’d never stop trying to prove myself to you,” Drew said. “I’d go to the ends of the earth to make sure you were protected. You have to know that I’d never stop until I knew you were safe, even if you didn’t feel the same.”
My heart swelled at his confession, and tears filled my eyes.
It was all so surreal. Him being here, in my hometown, in Pearl’s house.
Ever since I’d realized I had feelings for him, I’d wanted to introduce him to Pearl. I knew she’d love him. Not only because of what he meant to me, but because of the man he was. He was caring and protective and good.
“I love you, too, Drew,” I said and chuckled as tears spilled over my cheeks. “So much it frightens me sometimes because if something happened to you—if Adrian got to you …”
Drew kissed me again, but this time it was hard and fierce. When he pulled back, he all but growled, “He won’t. The only way Adrian could hurt me is by harming you.” Heleaned his forehead against mine and swiped the tears from my face. “And I will never let that happen.”
I nodded ever so slightly against him, believing his words to be true. Drew would do anything to protect me, as he’d done before.
We stayed in each other’s embrace, soaking each other up and breathing each other in as if we both needed reassurance.
Then, Drew pulled back. “Now, we need to get out of here before that brute in the truck wakes up.”
Brute? Oh no, Mack!
“Wakes up?” I asked. “What did you do to Mack?”
“Mack?” Drew asked, his expression shocked. “You know him?”
“He’s helping me. He works for my father.”
“Your father?” Drew reared back and that stubborn crease formed between his brows. “What exactly happened after our phone call yesterday?”
I sighed, retrieved the jewelry box from where I hid it under the bedcovers, and stopped in front of Drew. “I’ll explain on the way to my father’s place, but first we need to make sure Mack is okay.”
The look of shock on Drew’s face was almost comical despite the circumstances, but he recovered quickly.
