Page 47 of Stay Little Fighter

A soft gasp fills the room beside the running water of the shower.

“I deserved it, Duchess. If the roles had been reversed and you were hurt while under his care, I would have put the bullet in his head.”

“Damon,” she scolds. “You can’t go around shooting each other.”

I drop a kiss to her temple, reveling in the feel of her in my arms. It’s going to take some time getting used to letting myself touch her like this. “Let us work our shit out. It’s going to take some time, but if a single bullet is the only bodily harm that any of us have inflicted on one another, we’re doing okay.”

She shakes her head, but there’s a soft smile on her lips that I’m desperate to keep in place.

“Hold on to my shoulders.”

She does as she’s told without hesitation, only wincing for a moment at the new position.

Once I’m sure she’s steady, I pull my hands away and reach behind her, untying the knots as quickly as I can.

Guiding the fabric over her shoulders, I wait for her to give me a small nod before I allow it to fall from her body.

Our eyes remain locked as I shuck my pants, leaving my boxer briefs in place because my dick has been waiting for this moment just as long as my heart has, and the last thing she needs right now is to be staring at my inappropriately hard cock.

I reposition her hands on my hips and tug my shirt off, leaving just some thin cotton between us.

Taking her hands back in mine, I walk backward beneath the warm spray that soaks us both in a matter of seconds.

As far as hospital water pressure goes, I’m impressed.

Droplets cling to her dark lashes as she stares up at me with far more trust than I deserve, but I dare not break eye contact. I’ve craved this kind of connection with her for so many years I’ve lost count, and I intend to savor every second she affords me from here on out.

“You okay?”

She nods. “Just trying to convince myself I’m not dreaming.”

“Definitely not dreaming, Duchess,” I promise, carefully wrapping my arms around her, and I just about fall on my ass when hers wind around my waist.

She rests her head against my chest, letting out a soft sigh of contentment.

“Tell me something true,” she murmurs. “Something you’ve never told anyone before.”

Years of lying rush back to me, the habit so thick I can barely break through the need to give her a mistruth because that’s all I’ve known for so long. “Do you remember how we used to spend our birthdays watching movies and eating so much sugar we made ourselves sick?”

“How could I forget?” She half laughs, but there’s a sadness in her tone that makes my chest ache beneath her cheek.

“I never stopped coming,” I admit. “I would wait until you and Ronan were comfortable and then I’d sneak into the back row and sit behind the chairs out of sight. It was the one tradition I couldn’t keep myself away from.”

Her lips part in surprise as tears fill the eyes I deprived myself of all these years. “You were there?”

“Every single one.”

She lets out a soft sob before burying her face back in my chest, and for long minutes we allow the water to fall around us.

It won’t be long before one of the others comes to check on us, but I couldn’t tear myself from her even if I wanted to.

I spent years depriving us both of moments like this, but that’s over now.

Now I’m just going to spend the rest of my life giving Chloe everything she could ever want or need.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHLOE