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I open my mouth, but she snarls, cutting me off."Don't throw platitudes at me. Don't sit there and tell me it's worth the risk. You have no idea the shit I've been through."
"You're right," I whisper, then clear my throat.
"What?" Her chest heaves with each breath and her eyes dart around the space as if seeking answers swirling through the air.
"You're right. I have no idea what you've been through. I have no idea what it's like and I'll never know. But I can't keep putting you in danger, hoping the next time I'll be able to protect you."
"You don't have to protect me." Her lips purse as I advance on her.
Her hands flutter by her side and her bottom lip slides between her teeth. I reach up, freeing the flesh from her mouth, and brush my thumb across her skin. She shudders, finally meeting my eyes. I slip one arm around her waist, then kiss her softly. She sighs into my mouth, all the tension leaving her at once.
"I'm sorry," I whisper against her lips. "I can't help but try to protect you."
"Why?" She jerks back as if she didn't mean for the word to slip out.
Her cheeks flush, and she grimaces as her body curls into mine. I hold her gently, mindful of the injuries her father gave her.
"Let's go to bed," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her hair.
She shakes her head, fingers curling into my shirt. "You should run."
"I'm not going anywhere, Aelia. I belong here—with you."
My heart breaks when a sob escapes her. I've fucked up so much here, not only with her, but with this whole thing. I shouldn't have come, thinking I could bring down the Guild by myself. To be fair, I didn't think I could do it alone. I'm not qualified for this type of mission.
I run guns and drugs, keep my family together, and give men the chance to be a part of something. I'm meant to lead an MC, not bring down a corrupt organization. Eventually, I'll have to call someone.
"Why?" she breathes again when her tears subside.
I tip her face up, scanning her eyes. She's too exhausted for this conversation. Resting my forehead against hers, I breathe her in, letting her scent fill my senses and seep into my pores. I'll have to admit my feelings soon enough, but not tonight. She's too fragile, like spun glass. One false move and she'll shatter into a million pieces with no hope of gluing her back together.
"I'll tell you tomorrow. Right now, I'm putting you to bed."
"I'm not a toddler. You don't have to tuck me in," she says, but there's no heat behind her words.
"Let me take care of you. It's what I should have done before."
I tug her along after me, but she's obviously still in pain. I lift her into my arms and bring her to the bed as she nuzzles my neck. My stomach rolls when she yelps, and I push her shirt up. The smattering of bruises along her ribs stands out starkly against her pale skin.
"It's fine. I think I just bruised a rib." She tries to pull the fabric from my fingers to cover herself, but I grip it tightly.
"It's not fine. He broke one, didn't he?"
I drop her shirt, pivoting as my focus goes to the door. I'll fucking kill him. I should have before, instead of worrying about how Jenkins would react if I painted the room with Drake's blood. It would have been an improvement to the decor.
Aelia's fingers circle my wrist, stopping me, and I glance back at her.
"Don't go."
I drop to my knees next to the bed, brushing her hair back. "He deserves to die."
"I know. But I want to be the one to kill him. You owe me that for being a bastard." She attempts a smile, but it turns into a grimace.
"If you want to be the one to end him, then you'll have to learn how to do it, angel."
Her eyes fall closed and a grin spreads across her lips. "You think I didn't learn how to kill a man? Oh, Dante. You sweet delusional man. My brother made sure I could take care of myself. I just need a refresher course."
"I can definitely help with that," I murmur.
