I nodded, knowing he needed to recount his tale and knowing at the same time I wasn’t ready to share mine.
“I knew you’d come,” I told him. “I never doubted it.”
He looked down at me, his expression unfathomable. “I will always come for you, Sam. Always.”
I offered a small smile. “I know, Sid. I know.”
“We didn’t use a condom,” he commented, seeming to assess my reaction carefully. “You know I’m clean, but you’re not on the pill.”
“No, I’m not,” I agreed calmly. When it seemed like he needed more from me, I continued, determined to display outwardly what lay inside. “If there’s anything I learned tonight, it’s that life is a gift. If we made a new one, it might be a little earlier than optimal, but it’d still be beautiful.” I looked up at him, feeling my heart swell.
“It’d be yours and mine,” I murmured.
“Yours and mine.” He grinned.
I nodded, shocked I was able to feel such pure joy so close to such raw terror.
“I love you, Sid.”
He pulled me back down into his arms. “I love you, too, Sam. Let’s get some rest. I feel like I could sleep for a fucking week.”
“Me too,” I agreed wholeheartedly. It was quiet for a few minutes and I thought he might be asleep already. “You get that I want to move in together, right?” I ventured in an anxious whisper.
He chuckled, the sound low and rich. “I got that, baby.”
“Good.” I sighed, relieved, and allowed myself to drift off into sleep, feeling safe cradled in my man’s arms.
CHAPTER 17
“No. I’m not putting her through that shit.” Sid’s agitated voice sounded from the kitchen when I woke up late the next day. “Well, they can go fuck themselves.” He swore.
I was curious who he was talking to as I wandered into the kitchen.
Sid was shirtless, pacing the space with his phone to his ear. His gaze shot to me when I entered the room, growing momentarily soft before hardening again. “Sam’s up. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up without another word, taking the two strides it took him to reach me and enveloping me in his arms.
“Who was that?” I asked as I stood with my face pressed to his bare chest.
“Travis.” His curt reply surprised me, and I pulled back to look up at him questioningly. He blew out a breath. “The feds want to talk to you.”
I swallowed and took a step back from him.
“See that, that look right there is why they can go fuck themselves.”
I wasn’t sure what expression it was he saw but I knew my belly was churning at the thought of having to relive my nightmare. I also knew deep down that I’d have to.
I stood up as tall as my petite frame would allow. “It’s okay, babe,” I replied, trying my damnedest to look brave. “It’ll suck, but maybe it’ll help them, someone, me, who knows?”
He studied me intently and I resisted the urge not to squirm under the scrutiny.
I sighed. “Sid, I know you can see right through me right now, but just pretend I look super brave, okay?” I pleaded gently. “We both know I’m going to have to do this. Short of you hiding me away in Mexico or something, I’ll have to give a recount of what happened. I’d rather not do it hiding away like a frightened animal.”
He pulled me back into the circle of his arms, looking down on me with such warmth I instantly melted. “I’m so fucking proud of you, sweetheart,” he murmured, surprising me with his line of thinking. I was worried he was thinking about exactly what type of frightened animal I reminded him of. “I’ve always been so fucking proud,” he reiterated firmly.
“Even when I ramble on and trip over my own two feet?” I asked with a shy smile.
“Especially then.” He winked before sighing in resignation. “I get what you’re saying. I’m even getting the sense you feel the need to do this. But Sam, if you don’t want to, I’ll find a way to shield you from it. You know that, right?”
I gave his waist a squeeze. “I do.”
The doorbell rang and I looked at Sid with wide surprised eyes.
“It’s Cade,” he assured me. “Figured you could use a little time with that dog you love even though you don’t like dogs.”
Truth be told, that little ball of fur with her freakishly large eyes was exactly what I needed.
“Thank you,” I murmured, rising on to my tiptoes to kiss his gorgeous mouth before he strode to the door to answer it.
Cade didn’t stay. After delivering Trixie and a hug to me with some worried looks he tried like hell to mask, he left us alone. As much as I loved Cade, I welcomed the time alone with Sid and Trixie, who nearly peed herself in excitement at seeing me.