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“Oh poor you,” Quinn scoffed.
“When you join the FBI, you’ll realize it’s not all glamorous car chases and shootouts. Mostly it’s boring admin.”
“Dude, don’t do it, you’ll be stuck in shit suits. Enough said.” Harley gave Agent Norcross’s cheap suit a quick over and winced.
“I’ll have you know this is a 500-dollar suit,” Norcross huffed.
“Yeah. We can tell.”
“Enough!” I yelled, trying not to wince with pain. The drugs had worn off and a brass band was playing to a full house inside my skull. “Out, all of you, except for Brax.”
“Why does he get to stay when you’re kicking me out?” Harley looked aggrieved.
“Give them a minute.” Quinn grabbed his arm and pushed him out of the door after Norcross. The door clicked shut and Harley’s disgruntled muttering faded.
“Are you OK?” I asked Brax.
“Shouldn’t that be my line?” he replied dryly.
I flicked my hand dismissively. “I’ll be fine once this headache goes. I’m more concerned about you.”
“Why?”
“Because I feel like there’s space between us.” Feeling vulnerable was something I struggled with. My modus operandi was to retreat at 100 mph when the going got tough, but I was determined to act like an adult. It made me want to rip off my own fingernails, though.
“Stella, give me a moment to process. It’s been fucking difficult the last couple of days.”
“Difficult?” My voice rose a notch. “I was the one kidnapped and chained to a wall!” Brax blanched.
“I had no idea,” he admitted. “Nobody told us that.”
“Maybe because I haven’t said anything about it. Although I’m sure someone will want all the gory details in the next few days.”
I felt bad for making him feel guilty, but fuck me, the last thing either of us needed was space. If I gave him any more space, he’d be in the next state.
“I’m sorry for everything my grandmother did. I hate her so fucking much.”
“Brax, you once told me I wasn’t to blame for what my father did. Now I’m turning that around. You’re not responsible for anything your grandmother did. She was her own person. A shitty one, it has to be said. You’re nothing like her, and although I haven’t met your sisters, I’m sure they aren’t either.”
He moved closer and took hold of my hand. His thumb rubbed the inside of my wrist, sending small sparks skittering across my skin. It had only been a couple of days since we lay in bed together, but it felt like a lifetime ago. I needed him to push all the bad memories away.
“Lie with me?” I asked in a small voice. If he pushed me away now, I wasn’t sure if I could stand it.
But he didn’t. He crawled onto the mattress and tucked one arm under my head, so I lay against his chest. The bed was hardly big enough for both of us but I didn’t care.
The scent of him soothed me and my heart rate slowed. The pain in my head eased and I closed my eyes, soaking up the essence of him. Right now, he was all I needed.
“I’ll always be here for you, Stella. You’re it for me, even if I have to share you with that needy fucker.”
A snort of amusement escaped me. “You love him really.”
“Nope. Not at all.”
“Well sucks to be you then, dude, I’m in this forever, too,” Harley scoffed from the doorway.
Chapter 112
Stella
