to certain drives in his office. When he shared his suspicions with the agency, they wanted him to pull back from the operation, at least for the time being. The Paris trip was arranged, in hopes that his going on vacation and getting away from the office.” She chokes back a sob, splintering my heart. “Before they could…”
“Before we could leave, they killed him,” she finishes for me. “Keep going. Please, Rafe. I need to know what he was doing.”
I wish I could tell her more about her father, but I’ve probably already said too much. Instead, I delicately highlight our own investigation of the murders, and how the agency couldn’t tie Morningstar to it, but we had our suspicions.
After all is said and done, Brie stands and paces the room. My heart is racing as I wait for her to say something—anything. She’s staring at the floor, her gaze intense with her lip drawn between her teeth. She’s trying to let what she just learned sink in, but the silence in the room is deafening. The longer she refuses to look at me, the more worried that this is too much for her I become. That I really have lost her. A surge of panic rushes through me and unleashes before I can contain the swell.
I stand and brace my hands on her shoulders when I reach her. She jerks and looks up at me, daggers blazing in her eyes. My head bows for a brief moment. I have to be careful. I can’t overwhelm her any more than I already have, but I do have to make my point clear.
“Dammit, Brie. I can’t take this. I have to know what you’re thinking,” I plead, hating this silence.
Her nostrils flare, and she bites her damn lower lip again. Then her hands push mine away, and she steps backwards, balling her fists at her sides. “Don’t touch me right now,” she whispers. While I can hear the anger in her voice, it’s more pleading, as if she needs time to wrap her brain around all of this.
I deserve this. I know I do. But the more she pushes me away, the harder I’ll push back. I’ll do anything to get her forgiveness, and for her to trust me again. Anything.
“I never wanted to lie to you, and when I could, I told the truth.” I step forward and pick up one of her tiny fists. It won’t do much damage, but if it’s what she needs, I’ll happily agree to be her personal punching bag. “Touch me, Brie. Do what you have to, whatever you need. Slap me, scratch me—hell, curse my name for the rest of eternity. Take what you need. Just, please, when you do, take me, too. That’s the biggest truth in all of this. I’m yours, and that will never change. I’ll do anything I can to prove that to you. Anything.”
Her eyes widen—I’m getting through to her. So I take my chances and push a little further.
“Be pissed at me. But whatever you do, please, don’t shut me out. I’ll take all your rage, whatever you want to throw at me. But don’t ask me to walk away. It’s the one thing I can’t do.”
She swallows hard, but her eyes don’t leave mine as her anger fades. “Part of me wants to do that. Slap you, I mean,” she admits, shaking her head. Then she shrugs her shoulders. “But I’m not that kind of girl.”
“I’d let you. If that’s what it takes, if you need to let it out, I’m right here.”
“As tempting as that offer is, I’ll pass. Look, Rafe, this is just… It’s so much to process. I want to be angry. Hell, I am angry. I’m also confused. This whole situation is completely fucked up, and I have no idea how I landed in the middle of it.”
As momentary stupidity clouds my judgment, I raise an eyebrow at her as the memory of our very first encounter enters my mind. The look on my face must give me away, and I can see the moment it dawns on her. She scowls and punches me in the shoulder hard enough to push me backwards.
“Hey. I thought you weren’t that kind of girl.”
“You can’t charm your way out of this one, Matthews.” Her teasing tone sets my heart at ease.
Sure, it may take time for her to really be over my lies, but the way she’s lightened the mood makes me believe she can