Page 136 of Rush
"Even after watching your dad tear me apart?"
"Especially after that, because you didn't back down."
When we go back inside, Ciara's watching us from across the room.
She's talking to Enya but her eyes are on us, calculating.
I see her clock the way Rush is holding me, the way I'm leaning into him.
She smiles and waves but there's something sharp underneath.
I wave back and pull Rush toward the bar.
"You see that?" I ask.
"See what?"
"Ciara watching us."
"She's just being friendly."
"No, she's not. She just watched my dad interrogate you and now she's filing it away for later."
"You're being paranoid."
"I'm being observant."
We sit down and Chloe brings us drinks.
"You okay?" she asks quietly.
"Yeah, we're good."
"Diesel's scary when he wants to be."
"Tell me about it."
She leaves and Rush pulls me closer, his hand going to my hip.
"What are you thinking?" I ask.
"That your dad's not wrong about me."
"Rush—"
"No, listen. He's right that I'm dangerous, that I've got violence in me. But he's wrong about me hurting you."
"I know."
"Do you? Because I watched you defend me to your dad and I'm not sure I'm worth that."
"You are."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm looking at you right now and I see someone who's terrified of being his worst fear. That's not a violent man, that's someone trying to be better."
He kisses my temple. "Thank you."
