Page 19 of Scarred Sunrise

“And so might they. This could all be a ploy to grab her again. We all know they believe that three sisters have something to do with their crazy fucking plan.”

“Agreed, which is why Daniel is with Meg, and Jace and Lucy stayed at the estate,” Zack added calmly.

Smithy threw up his hands in frustration; nothing about this made him happier.

“Do I get a vote?”

Smithy twisted to look at Lizzie who was sitting on the couch off to the side of the conference table. She sat with her legs crossed, her hands in her lap, and he wanted to remind her how that would make her hips ache if she carried on but knew it wasn’t his place.

“Of course you do. Say the word, Liz, and you’ll be far away from here.”

It was an off the cuff remark, but he knew in that second that he’d happily walk away from his vendetta to keep her safe. Nothing was more important to him than that. It was a freeing yet terrifying thought because if he couldn’t fix this, he’d lose her anyway.

“I think I should meet her,” she held up her hand palm out as if to ward off the warning she knew was coming, “but I want Smithy with me.”

Smithy’s gaze cut to her in surprise, but she studiously looked at Zack.

“Is that wise?” Zack’s voice had a note of hesitancy in it that made Smithy turn to him as if he were watching some fucked up tennis match. “Nazareli may be using you to get to Smithy.”

Lizzie shook her head. “No, she knows there’s nothing between us. Why call me to get to him?”

Her words gutted him like the blunt blade of a carving knife to the belly. Hearing her say there was nothing between them hurt more than he ever thought possible. It seemed to put the nail in the coffin of his relationship with her, especially the matter of fact way in which she said it, as if she genuinely believed that to be true.

“The fuck there isn’t!”

All eyes moved to him as he spoke, but he could only see Lizzie who had a confused, wary look on her face. He stalked towards her and took her arm, pulling her up and against him, the feel of her soft body against his hard one was heaven and hell.

Her hands landed on his chest. “Ty, what the hell are you doing?”

He could vaguely hear the scrape of chairs being pushed back as the conference room started to empty.

“What I should have done fifteen years ago.”

He didn’t say anything else but took her mouth in a desperate, claiming kiss that had every ounce of his feelings poured into it. Her mouth was unyielding at first, but when he swept his tongue across her lips and coaxed them to open, he felt her surrender to him. Her passion meeting his they tasted and fought for dominance, the kiss savage and brutal in its purity.

What felt like a lifetime later he pulled away, knowing he’d never get enough of this woman. Twisting a long curl of her silky dark hair around his finger, he pressed another kiss to her lips, this one gentle and full of the unspoken emotion he felt for her. It was the most connected he’d ever been in his life.

“Don’t say there’s nothing between us, not when what’s between us is everything.”

Lizzie went to deny it, but he put his finger over her lips. “I mean it, Liz. You’re everything to me. If you asked me to walk away from this now, I’d do it gladly, just for the chance to be with you.”

Lizzie’s eyes went dark with unshed tears, and he rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone, closing his eyes as he kissed them away.

“Why now?”

He gave it a second to really think about what she was asking, knowing the unasked question was just as important. “I tasted life without you, and it’s like drowning in a desert of sand. And to answer your second question, I won’t let you down this time, Liz. I know I walked away before, but I was a stupid kid who thought he knew what you needed instead of trusting you to know what you wanted.”

“I only ever wanted you, Ty.”

Smithy smiled as the boulder on his chest moved. He was by no way or means fixed, but he would be. “You were always the smart one.”

“Well, that’s true.” He heard the smile in her voice and loved that about her, Lizzie had a wicked sense of humour and he’d forgotten how much she made him smile. She stepped back from his arms, and he let her go. “I want to take things slow this time, Ty.”

“You don’t trust me?” He wanted to feel hurt, but he knew she was being sensible, protecting herself from him. He saw the distress on her face and was quick to ease it. “It’s okay, Liz. I get it. I need to prove to you I can change and that I won’t run this time.”

“I’m sorry.” Tears moved freely down her pink cheeks like diamonds now.

“Don’t be. You’re giving me a chance, and that’s all I need.”

“How about we find out what Nazareli wants and take it from there? One day at a time?”

She held her hand out to him, and it was a lifeline he’d never take for granted ever again.

“Sounds like a plan.” He took her hand, and his life clicked into place.