Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
"If she agrees to see you, you say you're sorry, and that's it," I bark, pointing a finger at him. "If anything else leaves your lips, I'll break your jaw and then arrest you for trespassing. We clear?"
"Crystal."
"Wait here."
I push the door closed in his face, turning to Faith. She's standing in the living room, her hair still tangled around her where I had my hands in it last night. I still haven't made love to her, but every night, she lets me make her come before she passes out on top of me. She's in one of my LAPD hoodies, a pair of leggings underneath. She eyes me warily, her head cocked to the side.
"Come here." I hold a hand out to her.
She hesitates for a moment and then walks toward me, her steps almost silent. She slips her hand into mine a moment later, curling her fingers around mine.
"What is it?" she whispers, those honey eyes scanning across my face.
"Rick Sanders is here."
She jerks backward, her eyes going wide.
"He says he wants to apologize to you, angel." I tug her closer, sliding a hand around to cradle the back of her head and pull her toward me. "If you don't want to hear him out, I'll kick his ass off the property right now. But if you do want to hear what he has to say, I'll be right here with you the whole time."
"Is he coming in here?" She leans her head against my chest.
"Hell no. He'll stay on the front porch."
She thinks it over for a minute and then sighs. "Okay. I'll see him."
"You sure?"
"No," she mumbles into my chest. "But I have something to say to him."
"You're so brave." I tip her head forward to place a kiss on top of her head. "I'll be right here, okay?"
"Okay." She stays cuddled up against me for a moment and then pulls back. "Let's get this over with."
I reluctantly pull the front door open, keeping her partially obscured. He can see enough of her to say he's sorry. That'll have to be good enough because this is as close to her as he's going to get. "Say what you came to say," I growl at him when she cowers against my back. "Hurry up."
"Faith…Ms. Donovan, I apologize if my actions caused you any distress," Sanders says, not making a move to come any closer. Even then, I don't like the way he looks at her. His eyes darken as they sweep across her, his desire apparent. It sets my teeth on edge.
I move closer to her, putting more of my body between the two of them.
"I was drinking and acted like a jackass," he continues. "I'm truly sorry for what happened."
"Thank you," Faith whispers.
"Anything else?" I ask Sanders.
"No…I…no." He shakes his head.
"Faith?"
She doesn't say anything for a long moment, and then I feel her grip the back of my T-shirt, twisting the fabric in her hands like she's trying to draw strength from me. I reach behind my back with one hand, allowing her to slip her hand into mine. She squeezes my fingers, clinging to me like I'm a lifeline.
"What you did wasn't okay," she says a second later, her voice so soft it barely carries to him. "You tried to force yourself on me when all I wanted was to be left alone. It's not okay." She takes a breath. "And I think you're an asshole for doing it."
I bite back laughter when Sanders' expression turns sour, his jaw going slack like he can't believe she just called him an asshole. His face contorts, shock turning to anger before he's able to compose himself again, slamming a stoic mask into place. Even then, anger glints in the icy depths of his eyes, making it clear his apology isn't genuine. Whatever he's after, it's not her forgiveness.
"You're right," he mutters anyway. "I'm sorry."
"Anything else you want to say to him, angel?"
"No."
"Good. Get the fuck off my porch, Sanders, and don't come near her again." I step backward and slam the door, flipping the lock into place before I spin to face her. Her face is pale, her expression tight, but she doesn't cry. Pride courses through me in a strong current. "You okay, little bunny?"
She nods, her tongue sweeping along her bottom lip. She lifts her gaze to mine, frowning slightly. "No one has ever said sorry to me before for the things they did to me."
Dios, how is it possible for one woman to send my heart soaring in one breath and then break it in the next? I don't know, but she manages to do it without even trying.
"I don't want to forgive him," she admits, still frowning. "Is that wrong?"
"No. God, no, Faith. You're allowed to feel however you feel toward him. His apology doesn't wipe his actions away. It doesn't lessen the harm he caused you. Don't forgive him if you don't want to forgive him." I pull her toward me, cupping her cheek in my hand. "But don't let what he did change you. Don't let it harden your heart or make you fear trusting people. You're too good to give him that power over you."