Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I laid my hand over Worth’s. “Please be careful tonight. Please don’t try to rush out and be a hero. Let Carter and Matteo handle it.”
“I need to be there.”
“I know. I understand that. Believe me, if I didn’t, I’d be trying to talk you out of it. Beck’s your brother, and you need to see for yourself that he’s okay the moment they get him out, but please listen to Carter. I don’t want you hurt, I don’t want Beck hurt, and I don’t want them having to protect the both of you.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll listen. I know I’m not the right person for this job. I know the others need to take the lead.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“Yes. I would never ask you to walk into danger like this.”
“But I want Beck safe too.”
“I know you do, but please stay here. You’ll like Ben. He’ll distract you, just not like I do.”
“I have a feeling Miles would kill me for that even before you did.”
“I would never ever hurt you.” He stroked my hair and kissed the back of my neck.
“I know that. I know you care about me. This last week has been the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“This is not goodbye.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you’re thinking it. Stop.”
“Worth, I just want you to understand that I don’t have expectations of you.”
“I know the things Beck has told you about me. I know the man you think I am.”
I turned over and faced him. “I think you are an incredibly special man who has a huge capacity to care for people, but who desperately needs to think about what he wants and who needs to find a path that he cares about.”
“But you don’t think I can commit to one person in a relationship?”
“I think it’s only been five days. It’s a lot to decide so fast.”
“It’s been the most amazing five days of my life. I need to get dressed. They’ll be here soon.”
“I know. Just please come back in one piece.”
“All right, then we’ll talk about our future.”
“Or we can—”
He frowned. “Laurie—”
“I won’t run out on you. I will talk to you. It’s not like I have a plan or any place to go. That’s part of the problem.”
“It’s no problem at all.”
“It is for me.”
29
WORTH
Half an hour later, having kissed Laurie so soundly I hoped his lips were still tingling, I got in the car with Carter, Matteo, Miles, and Ford.
“All set?” Matteo asked from the driver’s seat.
Carter nodded, and he pulled away from the curb. Then Carter turned to me. “What exactly is going on with you and Laurie?”
I glanced at Miles. He shook his head. “I didn’t say a word.”
“He refused to give us any information, the bastard,” Matteo said.
“Beck told me not to touch him. He told me to leave him alone because he needs to heal. He’s been through hell with an abusive son of a bitch.”
“And you did exactly what he told you not to do?” Carter asked.
“It’s not that straightforward. But yes, I did.”
“And Laurie knows your history?”
“He knows, and he was very willing despite that. He is a grown-up, and he’s allowed to make his own decisions, no matter what my brother thinks.” My brother, who was currently being held captive. “I didn’t know Beck was going to go and get kidnapped.”
Ford laid a hand on my shoulder. “Of course not, but I’ve seen you with guys before. This is different.”
“It is so different. You fucking warned me, and I swore it would never happen.”
“So this is when we get to say, ‘I told you so’?” Carter asked. “This is when I get to remind you I said it would happen, and you swore your turn would never come, and now it has.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, this is that time.”
“Holy shit!” Ford’s mouth dropped open. “You’re in love with him?”
“I can’t stand the thought of anyone else touching him. I can’t stand the thought of spending a day without him, and I absolutely cannot stand the thought of him leaving New York. He’s mine, and I intend to keep him here.”
“Yep,” Matteo agreed, “you’re in love.”
“I take it you haven’t told him that yet?” Miles asked.
“No, I don’t know if he would believe me. He thinks this can’t be real. He says he doesn’t belong in my world because he didn’t grow up with money. He doesn’t want to be a charity case, and he needs time to build his own life.”
“All of that does sound reasonable,” Carter said.
“Fuck off. Whose side are you on?”
“I’m not picking sides. You can give him those things day by day. As he sees how committed you are to him, he’ll learn to believe you. You can let him have his own life. You could back off a bit and let him heal.”