Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 56149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
“Tessa.”
The way he says my name is pained as need coats the word. I pull my eyes to his, feeling his stare all the way to my toes.
“You took me from the only home I’ve ever known.”
“No, I brought you to your home. Your place is with me, and this is our home. It’s made just for us. You belong here, not there. I’ve never really had a real home, Tessa, but when I saw you that first time I knew you were it. From that very first moment. You are my only home, and I want to be yours.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t you dare say you don’t belong here with me. I don’t think I can bear it. I’ll show you. Please just let me prove it to you. If I didn’t love you and want to be with you, would I have brought you here? No, I would’ve left you behind and been long gone. But there was no leaving without you. Because without you I might as well be dead.”
Chapter 23
Sean
Tessa looks at me with big eyes. There’s hope in them, and she’s close to the edge, I just need to help her get there.
“I never wanted my world to touch you. I never wanted anything dark around me to dim your light. My biggest fear is that something would take away your innocence and the purity of your trust in me. I never meant to deceive you, baby. Never.”
She hasn’t told me to stop talking yet, so I keep going, needing to make her understand.
“When Nick pulled you off the ground and I saw him put that gun to your head, my whole world fell apart in a split second. I knew the bullets were blanks, and I knew no harm would come to you, but knowing that in that split second you knew everything, I was crushed. I’m so sorry that it happened the way it did. That wasn’t the plan, and when everything went to shit, I had to improvise. That included getting you out of there and onto the island a lot sooner than I had anticipated.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.” Her fingers twist in the blankets as she struggles to believe me.
“The job was supposed to be simple, Tessa. In and out and no one the wiser. I had to go through with it to make sure you were safe and that no one touched you. I had to finish this one last job to give us the life I’ve been telling you about. The life where it’s just you and me and our babies.”
I take a chance, getting up from the chair again and making my way over to the bed. She doesn’t stop me as I slowly walk over, letting her know my intentions.
“There is no me without you. And if I have to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, then I’ll do it. I will never stop trying to prove to you that what I did was never meant to hurt you and was only meant to save you. To save me.”
I walk over to the closet and pull out a small bag. I had Sal specifically pick up a few things that I knew Tessa would need if things went south. I didn’t go about doing this the right way, but I’ll die knowing the end justified the means.
“The plan was to complete the robbery and then come back to you. I was going to get you after work and tell you to pack your things and run with me. I would have told you all of it and brought you here of your own free will. But that’s not what happened, and I have to deal with the aftermath. This may not make up for taking you from that bank, but I hope it helps.”
I remove the tray and place the small bag in her lap, watching her fingers untangle from the sheet and slowly reach for it.
I kneel beside the bed, and she looks at me skeptically as she unzips the bag.
She pulls out the small brooch shaped like a fox. It was her grandmother’s. As recognition hits her, she looks up at me with watery eyes.
“The first time I ever saw you, you were wearing that. I knew it meant a lot to you, and when you showed me the picture of your grandmother wearing it, I knew it had to come with us. You’ve been my little fox since the second I laid eyes on you, Tessa. I may have not done this the right way, but if you let me, I’ll love you enough to make up for this until the end of time.”
She rubs her finger over the fox, tears running down her face. “I’m scared,” she whispers.
I cup her hands in mine as she cradles the fox. “I’m scared, too, baby. I’m scared I fucked up everything and that you won’t forgive me. I’m scared that you won’t ever look at me and feel what you once felt. But mostly I’m scared because I don’t deserve you, and one day you’ll realize it.”
“Sean.” She looks up to me with her big golden eyes, so hopeful and so soft.
No sooner is the word out of her lips than I’m on them. She’s hesitant at first, but it only takes a half a second before she melts against me, opening her lips and letting me in.
Her warm mouth tastes of syrup and sweetness, and she moans as I sweep my tongue in, claiming her. I get off the floor and sit on the bed, never breaking our kiss. I pull her to me, onto my lap, as I wrap my arms around her and hold her against my body.
She moans as I suck her tongue and then nibble her lips, the last of her resistance slipping away. It feels as if she’s letting go of all the anger, and she’s as light as a feather. She’s delicate and fragile in my arms, and I’ll never break that gentle trust again. I’ll never do anything again to make her question me or my motives. Ever.