Say I Do (Wilde Ways #10) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,93
slow breath. “I just needed to see you again. If you want five more minutes, I can go back outside.”
“I’ll be damned.” Roman turned toward him. “That wasn’t some BS up on the roof. You weren’t just playing Jonathan in order to distract him so that I could get close.”
Dex stalked toward Lacey. “Is that what you thought I was doing?”
“It’s what I thought we were doing,” Roman replied. “We’ve played that game before. One distracts, the other acts. Especially when you put down your gun and offered him anything.” Disbelief and shock tinged his words. “You were dead serious, weren’t you?”
Dex stopped beside Lacey. “Dead serious.” He smiled at her. “I would do anything for you.”
Her heartbeat quickened.
Dex’s smile slipped as he angled his head to see Roman. “And I would do anything to protect her. So you try to pull any BS that hurts her, you stray from the line of the straight and narrow for even a second, you look sideways at her and—”
“You didn’t leave me with those bastards all those years ago, did you? You really did trade yourself for me?”
Dex didn’t reply.
Roman cleared his throat. Focused on Lacey once more. “You should marry him. I mean, for real. He’s a good man.”
“Did you strangle on those words?” Dex wanted to know. “Because they sounded a little painful.”
“He’ll protect you. He’ll fight for you. And even I can see that he loves you.” Roman backed away. “Dex, when you’re ready to deal, so am I. Any terms you want. I’ll give you all the information I have.” He hurried for the door.
“Deep down—like, way deep down—you’re a good man, too, Roman.” Dex reached for Lacey’s hand as he said those words.
Roman stilled.
“To be clear, though, I don’t just want information from you. I want my fucking friend back.”
Roman glanced over at him.
“I also want Lacey to have her brother. Don’t slip off and try to lose yourself in missions that turn deadly anymore. Try living a normal life here in the US.”
“Never been real good on normal.”
“I can help you,” Lacey said. This mattered. He mattered. She’d never forget how he’d looked when he was hanging over the side of the lodge, his eyes frantic as he and Dex hauled her back up. “You pulled me back from the edge. Now it’s my turn to help you.”
He stared at her a moment. Cleared his throat. “Technically, you were already over the edge.”
As crazy as it was, his comment made her want to smile. “I can see why you and Dex were once friends.”
His gaze slid to Dex. “We still are.”
They were?
“You treat my sister well, Dex, or I will kick your ass.” With that, Roman resumed his march for the door.
“Do I look scared?” Dex asked. He seemed curious. “Lacey, do I?”
She stared up at him. “No, love. You don’t.” In fact, the only time she’d ever seen him look scared…
Was when he was hanging over the edge of the roof, pulling me up.
The door clicked closed behind Roman.
Alone. With Dex.
He slowly exhaled, as if he’d been waiting for the chance to be alone with her. As she stared up at his face, Lacey saw his mask begin to slowly slip away. The cockiness vanished. The cool curve of his lips faded. The gleam in his eyes warmed even more.
And…
“God, I was fucking terrified.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “I kept trying to get closer and closer to the ledge. I needed to get close enough to grab you. I just needed to grab you. And I was right there—” A shudder worked over the length of his body. “Right there when he stepped off the edge.”
Her arms wrapped around his waist. “You caught me. I didn’t fall.”
“I wasn’t letting go. I will never let go.”
She could feel the frantic beat of his heart. Or maybe that was her heart beating so wildly. Her head tipped back and she gazed up at him. “Neither will I.”
His gaze searched hers. “I need you.”
“I’m right here.”
“It’s…I’m shaking apart. I’m scared because I keep imagining that I didn’t get to you in time. I want to rip Jonathan apart. I want—”
“He’s dead,” she said softly. “And guess what I want?” She didn’t want rage and fear. “I want you.”
His eyelids flickered. “Baby, my control—”
“I don’t want control. Because I’m scared and angry, too. Because I want to feel the way that only you can make me feel.” She bit her lower lip. “How