Release!:A Walker Brothers Novel (The Walker Brothers Book 1)(53)

I sighed, knowing I had to get off the bed and force myself to go, but I was stealing every moment possible.

“I love you,” I said in a low voice, tears streaming down my cheeks unchecked. “I’m sorry I never told you, but it would have been awkward and complicated, and I know you’d hate that.”

In the distance, I could hear one of Trace’s fancy clocks chiming the midnight hour, and I knew it was time to go.

“Merry Christmas, Trace,” I murmured shakily as I palmed his cheek gently and then pulled my hand away.

I didn’t look back as I rose and hefted the light tote bag onto my shoulder and snatched up the jacket I’d set beside it. My tears were flowing like a river, blurring my vision to the point that I could barely see the door as I reached it and fumbled for the handle.

I’d just turned the knob when a very strong, very large arm snaked around my waist and Trace’s voice boomed loud enough to wake every soul in the house. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing!”

“Trace, I have to go.” I struggled, but my strength was no match for the furious male who had yanked my body against his.

“Bullshit. You aren’t going anywhere. You fucking love me. I heard you say it,” he rasped loudly.

I dropped the bag and the jacket I was holding as he lifted me up, strode over to the bed, and dropped me unceremoniously onto the sheets. I started to roll over and out of bed, but he quickly straddled my body and pinned my hands beside my head.

“Explain,” he said in a clipped, angry voice.

I looked up at him, my cheeks still streaked with wetness from my tears. He was enraged, but I wasn’t afraid of him. Even though his eyes were stormy and his nostrils flaring with anger, he wouldn’t hurt me. “I can’t explain.”

“You damn well can explain, and you will.”

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“Tell me, Eva. If you have a good reason, I’ll let you go.”

My mind was racing with thoughts. “You promise?”

He nodded sharply one time.

Maybe telling him the truth was the only way he was going to let me leave. And I did have to go.

I took a deep breath and started to speak. “Britney knows everything. She stole my mother’s diary. I think she read more of it than I have. If I don’t go, she’ll publicize everything, and she’ll tell Dane that she only slept with him to get to you. She’ll hurt him.”

He looked confused. “That’s it? That’s a terrible reason. You aren’t going anywhere.”

“It’s enough. She’ll destroy your father’s reputation, and yours. And she’ll hurt Dane badly.” I yanked at my confined wrists irritably and glared at him.

“Honestly, sweetheart…no, it isn’t enough. I fucking love you, Eva. Do you think I give a damn what Britney does?”

He loves me? “You obviously heard me talking, so you know that I love you, too. I can’t let her destroy you. She threatened to expose everything about your father getting duped into marrying my crazy mother.”

“My father is dead, Eva. And I don’t give a fuck what she says about me or you. But I doubt she’d even carry through on her threats. Dane already knows she’s using him. She isn’t going to break his heart.”

“He knows? He isn’t in love with her?” Admittedly, I’d never thought Dane acted smitten, but he was a quiet sort of man.

“No,” he answered flatly. “Now let’s talk about us.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I looked up at him, speechless. His eyes were still burning with intensity, and I didn’t see any signs that his anger was fading.

He continued when I didn’t speak, “If you leave, you’ll break me, Eva. I’ve never felt this way about any woman, but I don’t think I can ever put the pieces of me back together again if you go. I need you to stay with me. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it together, but you can’t run away. I can’t handle that.”

My heart squeezed until I felt like it was going to burst. “Why me?” I asked softly.

He loves me? I still wasn’t able to wrap my head around that statement, and I didn’t get why he’d want me. Oh, I knew he cared, but he loved me to the point where I was his weakness, a woman he desperately needed. Me?

“Why not you?” he asked in a calmer voice.

“I’m a mixed-race nobody, Trace. A woman who was in prison for most of her adult life—”

“Because your mother was a lunatic,” he finished. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. I think I knew from the moment you admitted that you didn’t know Chloe that I was doomed. I just didn’t want to admit it, so I convinced myself I just needed to fuck you. But it’s not true. Hell, I do need that, but I need more than that. I need everything from you.”