Page 156 of Daddy’s Fortitude

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Aimee gaped up at him. “No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.” Ammo folded his arms as he glared down at her. He was now sitting on the side of the bed, his thigh pressed against hers.

“Nuh-uh, you really don’t.”

“Are you going to lie there and argue with me, Little girl? After I’ve told you to be quiet and rest?”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “It’s because I nearly died, isn’t it? You’re trying to give me what I want because you feel sorry for me.”

Another cough rattled its way through her chest. Luckily, this one wasn’t as bad.

“Well, I don’t want it,” she said.

“You don’t want what?” he asked.

“I don’t want you,” she replied.

“Is that so?” he said in a dark voice.

Oh hell. “I mean that I don’t want you if you just feel sorry for me. I don’t want you to do this just because I nearly died and you’re trying to make me feel better. It doesn’t make me feel better, it makes me feel worse.”

She rolled onto her side with her back facing him.

“I don’t want you because you nearly died,” he told her. “I want you because you’re mine. None of this is due to the fire. I felt like this for you before then.”

“No, you didn’t,” she said, turning back to glare at him.

How dare he keep lying to her?

He gave her a look filled with frustration. “Little girl, you don’t get to tell me how I feel. I decided I wanted you when I was locked up in that jail cell, when I had no idea if you were all right, what was going on, if you were eating enough, getting any sleep, taking care of yourself. That’s when I decided you were going to be mine. And you don’t get any say in it.”

“I don’t get any say in it?” She gaped at him, still trying to make sense of his words.

Ammo leaned in, his nose close to hers. “No. You get no say. You’re mine, I’m yours. End of story.”

Honestly, she had no idea what to say. Aimee opened and closed her mouth, but no words came. Her throat was burning again from too much talking, but she couldn’t just let him get away with this.

“Then why didn’t you tell me last night after I told you to leave?” she asked.

He shrugged those wide shoulders. “I was angry, I guess. I wouldn’t lie about having feelings for you just because I felt sorry for you. You know I don’t like people. Fucking hate most of them. They’re annoying. They talk too much. They talk with their mouths full. They make stupid, selfish decisions based on what they want. I never wanted a relationship. I didn’t have time for anyone. And I didn’t think I could tolerate being with anyone for any length of time before they annoyed me and I wanted to get rid of them.”

“You are really selling this to me,” she said dryly.

“But you are different.”

“I am?” she asked.

“You are. I don’t find myself getting annoyed by your quirks and the things you do. I happen to think they are cute. And I’ve never thought anything was cute in my life, but I look at you and I see someone I don’t want to live without. I don’t like the idea of us being apart, of not knowing if you’re all right, if you’re looking after yourself. I want to be the one taking care of you. You have changed me.”

Tears filled her eyes, dripping down her face.

“What’s this? Are these happy tears?” he asked. “Keira sometimes cries happy tears.”