Page 102 of Never Stop
"I hear what you're saying, and I know you're scared, but fuck all of that."
Ander takes a step closer and rubs one of his hands up and down my legs over the blankets. Our eyes meet, and it's electric. Every feeling we each possess radiates through this gaze.
A lone tear travels down the apple of his cheek, getting lost in his facial hair.
"You're mine. I'll be damned if I let anyone or anything get in the way of that again."
"You don't understand—"
"I understand pretty damn clearly. You're not my bodyguard, baby. I'm yours. You don't need to protect me. It's my job to protect you. Liamwillfucking pay for every single ounce of pain he's ever caused in your life. He willneverbe able to hurt you again once I'm through with him."
"Ander, listen to me."
He shakes his head and plants a kiss on my forehead.
"You're not ending this again. It's not even up for discussion. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, baby."
I lose my sense of self-control as tears overtake me. This man loves me wholly—it's evident.
He deserves better than me and the chaos of my life. At this point, my initial instinct is to push him away. Let him let me go again, and let him be happy without me.
I can't. I fucking can't do that anymore. I don't want to. It's never been what I wanted. It's been what I've had to do. I want him every damn day. Happy, sad, angry, giddy, horny, scared— I want it all, for once, and I only want it with him.
"I love you, Ander, and I'm scared. I'm fucking terrified that he's going to hurt you. Or worse, take you from me. I. . . Need you."
Chapter thirty-two
Ander
"Ilove you, Ander, and I'm scared. I'm fucking terrified that he's going to hurt you. Or worse, take you from me. I. . . Need you."
Liam Foley hurting me is the last thing she needs to worry about. Being able to keep my cool enough not to land myself with a life sentence should be her only concern.
He tormented her for her entire life. He's the cause of me losing her. He put his hands on her. He hurt her. She was lying there, barely clothed due to his cruelty. She's in a fucking hospital because of him.
My anger boils molten hot beneath the surface as I attempt to process everything in my mind.
There's only one solution.
Where I'm concerned, you don't hurt her in any way and get away with it. I'll be damned if I allow him the freedom of having another opportunity to cause any form of harm to her again.
I walk over to her side and nuzzle my face in her hair as I kiss her neck. She's crying uncontrollably, and every sob she lets out cuts through my heart like a dull blade.
"Shh, baby. You don't need to stress about anything." I grab her face between my hands and lean my forehead to hers after kissing her lip softly. "
You need to rest and heal. That's the only thing you need to worry about."
She nods.
"I'm sorry for raising my voice at you, my Rosie. I need you to promise me no more shutting down and shutting me out. We are in this together... I'm terrified of losing you again. I can't. I simply just can't." I pull back to look at her eyes, and her lips curl up at the corners into a soft smile. Fuck, I melt for her.
"Promise. I'm in this. I'm in it with you." She says through her smile.
With one more gentle kiss pressed to her sweet mouth, I release her. Turning to leave her room, I call over my shoulder, still looking straight ahead, "I won't be long, babe. My family should be here soon."
I stop just as I make it to the door and slowly pry it open; I glance back over my shoulder, getting a good look at her.
Damn, even in the condition she's in, she's absolutely beautiful. Without a single ounce of effort, no makeup, hair a mess— She's perfect.
