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I’ve already told her too much, but thankfully, I don’t have to lie here. “I don’t know.”
But I’m not telling the whole truth.
“Why would they target me?”
Her voice shudders. She drops her hand and interlaces her fingers. When she does this—I am a goddamn savage—she inadvertently pushes her full breasts together. She’s wearing a T-shirt without a bra, her nipples poking temptingly through the fabric. The shape of her tits almost makes me reach over and start playing with them.
“I don’t know what to do,” she says, sighing. “If they come back tonight…”
“I could stay.”
This is so wrong, but I keep going.
“I’d take the couch or sleep on the porch or in the garden. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you.”
She blinks. “Why?”
“Because…”
You belong to me. I need you. You’re going to give me a family one day when I get my act together and start making money.
“I’ve hurt you enough.”
Even if she doesn’t know the whole story, thisistrue. My actions have caused her pain.
“Most people would call me completely crazy for eventhinkingabout saying yes to this,” she murmurs, “but I saw the person in the yard, their silhouette anyway. It wasn’t you.”
“No.”
“You’re not staging this as some weird scheme to get closer to me.”
“No,” I say darkly. “I’d never do anything like that to you, Lucy. You’re an innocent young woman.”
“I’m notthatyoung,” she says, turning away, averting her gaze.
“Huh?”
“I’m just saying twenty isn’t young. Not when you’ve lived the sort of life I have, anyway. I don’tfeelyoung.”
She glances at me with something like desperation in her eyes. She needs me to understand that she doesn’t view herself as young, almost like she wants to ensure our age gap isn’t a problem.
“When you’re forty-two, twenty seems pretty young,” I tell her.
She shakes her head with that cute-as-hell pout on her lips. “Well,Idon’t think it’s that young. That’s all I’m saying. Are you sure you don’t mind staying? I’ve got school in the morning. I’ll be safe there, but I won’t lie. I’m pretty freaked tonight.”
“If you don’t mind me being here,” I tell her.
When she bites her lip, I almost do it. Step forward, wrap my arms around her, and kiss her passionately. Kiss her with so much desire that she never has to wonder if she’ll be alone ever again.
“It’s not exactlyregular, is it?” she says softly. “But honestly, I’d feel safer with you here tonight. Tell me who this mystery person is when you meet them tomorrow.”
I swallow. I’m not sure that’s going to be possible.
“What?” she says, looking at me perceptively.
“I can’t promise that.”
“Why?”
