Page 106 of Callum
He was going to make damn sure she was treated the way she deserved from now on.
She sighed and met his gaze. “I was honestly hoping to wake up and find everything from last night was a dream.”
He cupped her cheek, needing to touch her. “I know. There’s no more danger, though.”
No one gunning for her or the sister who looked like her.
She swallowed, her eyes flicking between his. “When he pressed that gun to my head, I thought I was going to die.”
Pain slashed through his chest, like a blade cutting his heart out. “I’ve never moved so fast in my life as I did in that moment.”
“Do you know what went through my mind?”
“What?”
“That I wanted more time with you. I missed you already, and I wasn’t even gone yet.” She wrapped her fingers around his wrist. “I missed the time we were supposed to get. The things we were supposed to do.”
His hand remained on her cheek, his thumb grazing her skin. “I felt the same things when I thought I was going to be too late. Like our future was about to be taken from us.”
“But you weren’t too late. It was your bullet that hit that first man, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. I’m a good shot, but I was too damn far away, and I had no business making that one.”
“But you did,” she whispered. “You saved me.” Water shimmered in her eyes. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t thank me. I left the library with a woman who wasn’t you. What happened is on my shoulders.”
“No.” The single word was said so firmly, he almost believed it. “She looked like me. She put months into studyingbeingme. In your eyes, and in Freddie’s, and in Rick’s…shewasme.”
He shook his head. “I should have known. I wasn’t looking at her properly. I was distracted by the crowd, by watching for an enemy. I almost cost you your life.”
“None of this is your fault, Callum. You believed what she wanted you to believe. And she was good. Smart. She had to be to pull off everything she’s done.” Fiona shook her head. “The woman was my identical twin, and I was friends with her for months, andInever realized who she was until she wanted me to.”
He could hear the pain in her voice. Because instead of giving Fiona a biological sister, the woman had tried to take everything from her.
“I’m so damn sorry,” he said quietly.
“I wasn’t lying last night. I would have done everything I could to help her.”
“I know. Unfortunately, I don’t think therewasany helping her.”
She leaned forward, her forehead touching his. “I love you so much. If I didn’t have you—”
“You do. I love you too, Fiona. And I can’t wait for us to have that future that was almost stolen from us.”
Tears swam in her eyes once more, but they didn’t fall.
“Move in with me.” The words were out before he could stop them. He wanted this woman with him. In his home. By his side as much as damn possible.
“You want me to live with you?”
“There’s nothing I want more.”
A tear finally spilled over her cheek. He leaned down and kissed it. He was just straightening when she nodded and whispered, “Yes.”
Yes…the woman was his. She’d live with him. He growled and kissed her on the mouth, her soft lips swiping against his. He needed to let her take the pain meds, but he couldn’t make himself stop. Couldn’t back away.
Something told Callum he’d be holding her close for a long, long while.
