Page 31 of Lion Conquers All
Her fingers gripped his palm tight.
She squeezed his hand.
His gaze snapped to hers for a second.
Then she moved. She folded up the console between them on the front seat and slid her body over next to his. Leaned her head into his chest. And slipped both arms around him.
He didn’t move. He kept his arms out away from his body, away from her body, worried that touching her would send her somehow break the moment.
“Purr for me, please.” Her voice was so soft, so broken, and filled with pain.
He accepted the invitation and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his chest. Breathing in her scent. Her sadness. Her pain. He would take it all if she would let him.
And his cat purred.
She didn’t think there was hope, but this moment. This moment right here, right now, proved her wrong.
12
CONNIE
She didn’t deserve him. That was the thought that kept running through her mind. But she wanted him. She breathed in his scent, letting it fill her lungs. His distinctly male presence didn’t make her want to run for the hills.
This was Aarav.
She knew Aarav.
She hadn’t truly trusted a male as much as she trusted him, not for so many years that she’d forgotten what it was tonotfear a man. She’d even forgotten what a hug from a man really felt like.
When she’d been moved here after the trial was finished, she’d had to cut off ties with everyone and every single person in her past. No one knew what to say to her anyway. Her old life died when she’d been taken. Friends were a thing of the past. She was tainted. It was awkward. She was pitied. She’d heard all the excuses.
When the Marshallsdisappearedher from San Antonio, she’d gone about as opposite and as far as a Texas southerner could—Mystery, Alaska.
It’d been hard, but she loved this town. And it’d been good to have a fresh start.
It hadn’t been perfect, but at least she didn’t have to see her pain reflected in the people and places around her anymore.
Now.
In this moment.
Being held by Aarav for the third time today.
Listening to him purr.
Allowing the vibrations shake the cobwebs from her mind. This was the first moment she felt like maybe one day she might be okay. He certainly seemed confident.
“The others will be waiting for us. We have to find Sam and Gretchen.” She pushed against his chest, but it was like pushing against a two-hundred-year-old tree. He wasn’t moving.
“They will keep a few minutes longer. Ryder and Ava know what we need from Gaven.” He kissed the top of her head and continued to let the soothing rattle from his chest shake her down to her bones.
“Thank you.” Her words were muffled against his shirt, but he heard her. She knew he did because he tightened his hold a little bit more.
They sat there for a while. Maybe ten minutes. Maybe longer.
The sobbing finally subsided.
The tears dried up.
