Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
I sat in stunned silence, the weight of his words crushing me.
“We all knew he was crossing the wrong people, but we didn’t step in. I didn’t step in, and I fucking should have,” Locke said, his voice heavy with regret.
Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes as I thought about my father. He had made mistakes, but he didn’t deserve to die. But they were his mistakes. His alone.
“You couldn’t have stopped it, and you know it. Even if you stopped him that night, it was just a matter of time. My father thought he was invincible.” I took a deep breath and finally looked up at him. “His mistakes weren’t yours. You have to let that guilt go.”
“There are things about this world I live in, that your father lived in, that you don’t know and maybe can’t understand.”
“You’re assuming,” I said. “It might surprise you how much I actually do know. And trust me. I understand.”
“I wish I could go back and change things. Act. It fucking haunts me that I didn’t act.”
“He fucked up. Doesn’t mean he deserved to die. But you couldn’t have prevented it. I know that much. So stop feeling so guilty. He wouldn’t want that for you.”
Locke nodded, his expression still heavy. “I know. But it doesn’t change the fact that I could have tried harder. Done more. It’s part of the reason why I keep such a stronghold on you. I don’t want anything to ever happen to you and then have to live with that guilt as well.”
I squeezed his hand tightly. “But you can’t suffocate me.”
“If I could lock you in a box and forever keep you safe, I would. I’m not going to apologize for that,” he said firmly, his statement acting as the period to the last sentence of our conversation.
We finished our meal in comfortable silence, but the atmosphere had shifted. The air was thick with emotion, and neither of us knew quite how to break it. I could feel Locke’s eyes on me, studying me like he was trying to memorize every feature of my face.
“I understand why you’d want to do The Hunt,” he finally said. “And I know you’re a grown woman.” He released a deep breath. “Trust me, I do.”
My face heated from the intensity in which he looked at me.
“But?” I asked, knowing there had to be something more.
“I mentioned this before. The visual of you being chased by a man through the forest is…” he swallowed hard, “too much for me to take.”
My blush continued to intensify, and a stirring of confusing emotions formed in my belly. His eyes were dark, his lips set in a firm line. I could tell he was struggling to keep his emotions in check.
I decided to give the man some mercy. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll keep the red light off next weekend. I can’t promise you more than that,” I said with a playful smile. “But as payment for this nice dinner, I’ll cut you a break.”
Locke leaned forward and took my hands in his, his gaze intense. “Good. Because I was sitting here wondering how I could lock you in a tower and throw away the key. But I also didn’t want to make a scene in the restaurant.” He glanced around the room with a twinkle of playfulness in his eyes.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his comment, the tension between us finally lifting.
“But,” Locke continued, his voice low and serious, “I won’t stop worrying about you. I can’t help it. It’s who I am.”
“I know,” I said softly, my eyes meeting his. “But you have to trust me too. Trust that I can take care of myself. There are things about me that—” I took a calming breath. “I really can stand on my own two feet. I’m stronger than you think.”
Locke nodded slowly, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. He wanted to protect me, to keep me safe, but he also knew that I needed my own independence. It was a delicate balance, one that we would always be navigating.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said suddenly, standing up and pulling me up with him.
I didn’t protest as he paid the bill and led me outside. The stars above us twinkled in the sky, and I felt a sense of peace settle over me. For a moment, everything was right in the world.
Locke had managed to do one thing. He’d made me feel safe, protected, and watched over. And I’d never truly felt that way before him.
Chapter 20
Storee
I needed to keep my word at least once and remove the red light bulb. I didn’t want to risk the temptation of flipping the light switch on tonight, so if I removed the bulb and crushed it into a million pieces, then the temptation would no longer be there.