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“Okay, let’s cut the bullshit and I’ll ask you directly. Any other time you've been in London in the last two months, have you seen me?”
He swallowed hard. “You're being ridiculous. That meeting a couple of days ago was obviously the first time we saw each other.”
“Yes, it was the first time we saw each other. But have you seen me? Have you been around me?” He was not going to gaslight me. I’d been feeling him around every corner. I needed the truth.
He rocked back on his heels and shoved his hands in his pockets. The glare he gave me was level and direct. “Yes. I've been keeping an eye on you for your own safety.”
My stomach did a freefall. “When I got here three weeks ago at Marks and Spencer's, wearing a camel peacoat right behind me. Was that you?”
Atticus cleared his throat. “Yes, that was me. I—I thought you wouldn’t see me.”
I reached out to slap him, but he caught my hand and wrapped it behind my back, thereby pulling me into his body and holding me against him. “That's enough Gwen. I'm here to keep you safe. That's what this is.”
“You lying, gaslighting asshole. You made me think I was going crazy.”
“That wasn't my intention. All I want to do is keep you safe. I never wanted to let you go.”
I glared up at him. “Bullshit.”
His gaze drifted from my eyes to my lips, and I pressed my thighs together to ward off that tingling throb. It wasn't fair that I could still feel him between my thighs or that I still ached for him.
“Whether you think it's bullshit or not, it's true. I know you could feel it the other morning. How much I’ve missed you. How much I need you.”
“As far as I'm concerned, what happened earlier never happened. And is never going to happen again.”
His gaze narrowed slightly and stayed on my lips as he spoke. “We can argue about how good I make you feel later. Right now, as long as you're here, I'm here. Someone's trying to hurt you. It's my job to keep you safe.”
"Nope. Time to find a new city," I mumbled. “I've always wanted to try Dublin.”
"You won't be finding any new cities, Gwen. You're staying here with me, at least until we determine who's trying to hurt you."
He had to be kidding. "The fuck I am,” I said.
Gavin took that moment to try and slink his way out, but I pointed a finger at him. "No, you don't. You are taking me out of here. Stay right the hell where you are."
I tugged the arm Atticus was holding, and he released me. The corner of his mouth twisted upward in that half smile-half smirk that was still so familiar to me.
That smile could make me ache in places I thought I'd shut down for good. When he'd shattered my heart, he'd turned my insides into dry ice. And now with one crooked smile and an orgasm, he thought he could turn me back? Over my dead body.
"You're not leaving, Gwen. Someone tried to shove you off the subway platform a couple of days ago. And yesterday you had a mysterious allergic reaction when you’re normally so careful? I'm not going to let you walk away without some protection."
"The best part about this whole thing," I said, waving my arms and creating space by stepping backward, "is that you think I will still listen to you. You think I will do anything you say, which is hilarious. Want to know why it's hilarious? Because you tried to break me. I thought Bronson was a piece of shit, but no. I knew that man could barely tolerate me, but you made me believe you loved me. Which is far more insidious and horrible than he ever was."
I watched as the muscle in his jaw ticked, and I could see in my peripheral vision that Gavin was trying to inch his way toward the door again.
I turned on Gavin. "If you so much as inch toward that door one more time, I swear to God, I will throw this vase at your head."
Gavin blinked once, then twice, then put up his hands and backed away to lean against the counter instead.
Atticus glowered at him. "Leave."
Gavin shook his head. "I don't think so, mate. She is terrifying."
Atticus growled at him. "You don't know what terror is."
Gavin chuckled. "Sorry, she's still scarier than you are."
I smirked at Atticus, and he sighed. "Gwen, I know these last few months I?—"
