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His hands cup my waist and he pulls back, his lips parted and his eyes searching mine for something to hold on to.

I caress his cheek and nod softly. “You won’t hurt me.”

Twenty-Two

Hansley

You won’t hurt me.

She doesn’t know that.

That’s hope talking.

It’s not based in reality.

This exquisite creature in my arms deserves more than I can give. Than I have the ability to give.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” I whisper. “You have no idea.”

Asia’s dark eyes fix on me.

They’re seeing something that isn’t there.

Some better version of myself that I wish I was.

That I suddenly want to be.

And that’s because of her.

It’s her.

It’s this woman right here that’s changing my mind.

But the fact that I want to be the man she deserves raises the stakes even higher. She’s different. More. In a class all her own. And giving her everything she expects means changing, means proving that she’s my priority.

I’m willing to make that choice.

But if I fail… what does that say?

What does that mean?

You ruin everything. Just like him.

Those words defined me for so long. I never gave myself the chance to confirm them. Never offered anyone as a sacrifice to test if my birth mother’s prediction was true.

I couldn’t do that to Shar.

And I refuse to do that to Asia.

I don’t need confirmation. Evidence that I’m a screw-up.

Just like my birth father.

I’m already fractured enough.

Caring about someone this much will only lead to disaster.

For us both.