child you had. You’ve flitted around creating drama for a living. So yes, the idea of having to rely on yourself, without a safety net of incredible wealth, is going to be really terrifying, to the point where you can’t even comprehend it.”
She opened her mouth.
And then closed it.
“What I really want to say is two things,” he continued. “First, I want you to know you’re better than that, and not because you’re a Bradford. The truth is, no matter what happens to the money, you’re a strong, smart, capable woman, Gin—and up until now you’ve used those virtues in bad ways, dumb-ass ways, because quite frankly, you haven’t had any real challenges put in front of you. You’ve been a warrior without a field of battle, Gin. A fighter without a foe, and you’ve been lashing out at everything and everyone around you for years now, trying to burn off the energy.” His voice grew unbearably hoarse. “Well, I want you to channel all that in a different way now. I want you to be strong for the right reasons. I want you to take care of yourself now. Protect yourself now. You have people who … you have people who love you. Who want to help you. But you’re going to need to take the first step.”
As he fell silent, Gin found her own eyes pricking with tears, and then her throat began to hurt from her trying to swallow without making a gulping sound.
“You can call me,” he said roughly. “Anytime. I know you and I haven’t made sense. We’re bad for each other in all the ways that count, but you can call me. Day or night. No matter where you are, I’ll come for you. I won’t ask for any explanations. I won’t yell at you or berate you. I won’t judge you—and if you insist, I won’t tell Lane or anybody else.”
Samuel T. moved to the side and took his cell phone out of the pocket of his slacks. “I’m going to start sleeping with this left on from now on. No questions asked, no explanations demanded, no talking during or afterward. You call me, you text me, you say my name in the middle of a party, and I’m there for you. Are we clear?”
As a tear escaped down her cheek, he brushed it away, and his voice cracked. “You’re better than this. You deserve better than this. Your family’s glorious past is not worth a man hitting you in the present just because you’re afraid you won’t be anything without the money. You’re priceless, Gin, no matter what’s in your bank account.”
Now he was the one pulling her in and holding her to his chest.
Beneath her ear, the beating of his heart just made her cry more.
“Take care of yourself, Gin. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself safe …”
He just kept saying those words in an endless stream, as if he were hoping the repetition might get through to her.
When she finally sat up, he took his handkerchief out of his back pocket and pressed it to her cheeks. And as he stared at her with sad eyes, she found it was hard to believe that after everything they’d been through, he was there for her like this.
Then again, maybe everything they’d been through was the explanation.
“So what’s the second thing you wanted to say,” she murmured looking down at their feet.
When he didn’t immediately respond, she glanced back over at him—and recoiled.
His eyes had grown cold and his body seemed to change even as he didn’t shift at all.
“The second is …” Samuel T. cursed and let his head fall back. “No, I think I’ll keep that to myself. It’s not going to help this situation.”
But she could guess what it was. “I love you, too, Samuel.”
“Just think about how strong you are. Please, Gin.”
After a moment, he reached out and moved that big diamond around so it was hidden. Then he brought her wrist up and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. “And remember what I said.”
Getting to his feet, he showed her his phone again. “Always on. No questions asked.”
With a last look at her, he put his hands in his pockets and walked away, a solemn figure bathed in the peachy light of the lampposts.
And then he was gone.
Gin stayed where they had sat together for so long, the night air turned cold enough to raise goose bumps on her forearms.
Yet she