AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, what happened after you met me?” he asked.
He fed her another bit of chicken. She was nearly full, but for some reason, it was easier to eat like this, while she was focused on their conversation. Usually, she didn’t like eating in front of other people, but Tanner was just so relaxing. It was hard to be stressed around him.
“I was just . . . I got stressed, I guess. All I could think after we left was that you’d turn up at the bar and I wouldn’t be there. That you’d be so mad at me. I was worried and anxious, and I felt ill. Which just made it harder and harder to eat. We were on the move and things were so unsettled. I’ve always hated feeling unsettled. Having things changing all the time. I didn’t want to leave that day. I really wish I’d been able to message you. But I couldn’t and I . . . I . . .”
She was gasping for breath by now, so he drew her onto his lap
“Easy, baby. It’s all right.” He rubbed her back with his hand.
Tears filled her eyes. “It’s not. It’s really not, though. I hurt you. You were so angry with me. You . . . you looked at me like you . . . like you hated me.”
“Shh. There’s no way I could ever hate you,” he reassured her.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” He cupped her chin, tilting her face back. He wiped away her tears with his sleeve. “It would be impossible.”
“You don’t know everything, though. What if . . . what if you hate me after hearing it all?”
“Are you some secret assassin come to murder me and my family?”
“No!” Sheesh. Some days she could barely walk without tripping over.
“Then I think we’re good.”
“That’s it? That’s the one rule you’ve got? I can’t murder you or your family.”
“Well, I mean, we probably wouldn’t object if you took out West?—”
“Tanner! Be serious.”
He gave her a puzzled look. “Huh? I was being serious.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You can’t tell me that I’m allowed to take out one of your brothers.”
“But he’s the one that no one likes.”
“Isn’t he married?”
“Well, yeah. I guess I see where you’re going. Flick might care.”
Might care? He was crazy.
“I’m not here to kill anyone. But I do have secrets.”
“We all do.”
Not like hers.
“Eventually, I’m going to want to know all these secrets of yours. But for now, all I want from you is your promise that you won’t run again.”
Shit. She bit her lip.
“Promise me, Lilac,” he said in a low voice.
“And if I can’t?”
“Then I guess you just found yourself a 24/7 guard dog.”
