Page 43 of Twisted Tate

Another silence. Then Fox nods once.

“Okay.” He looks at Tate. “Dad needs to hear this. All of it. He’s been protecting you without knowing why, and we’re going to need his help.”

“I know.” Tate moves to my side, his hand finding the small of my back. “We’ll go to him tomorrow.”

“We?” Fox raises an eyebrow.

“She’s not leaving my sight.”

“I didn’t think she was.” There’s respect in Fox’s voice now. “I’m just surprised you’re willing to face Dad in person after going off the grid for days.”

“Dad can be pissed at me all he wants. It doesn’t change anything.”

Ivy stands and walks over to where I’m standing. She doesn’t touch me, doesn’t try to hug me or offer meaningless comfort. She just looks at me with those knowing blue eyes.

“I’ve never seen him like this,” she says quietly, leaning close so only I can hear. “Tate, I mean. He’s always been the cold one. The one who doesn’t let anyone in.” She glances at Tate, then back at me. “These Sinclair men—they’re hard. They do hard things. But they love just as hard. And when they decide you’re theirs, nothing in the world can make them let go.”

I glance at her and she’s beaming at Fox now. It’s obvious how in love they are, and I can already tell that Fox is a different man for her.

Almost like Tate is for me.

But love?

The word lodges in my chest, right next to the secret I’m still carrying.

Is that what this is? This terrifying, overwhelming need to be near him? Is that what he’s feeling when he holds me through nightmares and promises to kill everyone who ever hurt me?

Even now, I want to move closer to him so his skin touches mine, just to know that he’s there.

I’ve never known what love is supposed to feel like. No one ever taught me.

But whatever this is, I don’t want it to stop.

Fox moves toward the door, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll let Dad know we’re coming tomorrow. Try to soften the ground a little. Ivy and I are going to stay here tonight and get a plan together. Text Thorne and tell him to get his ass here.”

“Fox.” Tate’s voice stops him. “Thank you.”

Fox looks back at his brother. “You’ve always been there when I’ve needed you. And you even took that bullet graze for my troubles.”

I watch the exchange between the brothers. Tate touches his shoulder as Fox steps in the other room. Then Tate pulls his phone out of his pocket to do as Fox directed.

Once Tate pockets his phone, he pulls me against his chest, not caring that Ivy is still in the room with us. I press my face into his shirt and breathe him in.

“You did good, baby girl.”

I look up at him, thinking about what Ivy said.

Am I the one that he won’t be able to let go?

His arms tighten around me, and I let myself believe the answer might be yes.

Chapter 7

TATE

Reese is sitting on the couch with Ivy, and I can’t stop staring at the curve of her neck.

She’s wearing one of my t-shirts again. It keeps slipping off her shoulder, exposing marks I’ve left kissing and sucking her skin. Seeing the red skin makes my cock twitch. I want to cross the room and put my mouth on them. I want to bend her over the arm of that couch and remind her who she belongs to while my family watches.