Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 138

Her eyes narrow, just enough to send ice down my spine. "Honestly, I wondered if you were coming back at all…"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," I say, an excuse so pathetic I almost smile. Almost. "The fact is, I couldn't say any of this shit over the phone. I had to see you. I wanted—" I stop cold. What I really wanted was to make sure I didn't scare her away. "I wanted to see you."

"Really? You could've fooled me. The way you stormed out that night

—" Her throat bobs, proving this entire conversation haunts her as much as me.

And clearly, I still have a lot of explaining to do.

But the stubborn bastard in me folds his arms. I was the prick who left, but not without good reason.

"Can you blame me? After you said you were leaving for the Ozarks? All I ever had on my mind was a future together, especially after Arlo got sick."

She looks away quickly.

"Okay, that was a mistake." Her breath hisses out and she backs up a step. "And look, I'm sorry, okay? I should have been more open with my feelings. I shouldn't have talked like I could just freeze you out and run. Deep down, I never could."

Her throat ticks harshly.

"Lady Bug," I growl, moving closer. "That much honesty takes practice.

If you can learn to forgive and forget, so can I."

"Yeah, but God, this isn't what I wanted to talk about. I imagined this going differently."

I nod. "There was more kissing involved in my mind."

A fucking jackass comment, maybe, but it makes her look up at me sharply with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Kissing?" I hate how foreign the word sounds on her lips.

Truth be told, I imagined us doing a hell of a lot more than kissing, but that's not the point.

"I came here to tell you I fucked up by leaving. Maybe I still had to, but it could've gone down differently, yeah. I had to chase down Evelyn. I didn't have to freeze you out when we were in the thick of a crisis nobody should ever experience."

Hurt shadows her face.

For a second, I think she'll turn away and run back in the house, which I'd deserve. But then her head tilts and a smile touches her mouth.

"When?"

"Every single time," I rasp, bringing my lips home. Oh, shit.

She tastes like new beginnings, all salt and fading sadness and the cinnamon-orange scent of Salem Hopper. I don't need some expensive perfume like her friend's company cranks out to get harder than a diamond just from breathing this woman.

I only need her.

Every brittle, broken piece.

If I have my way this time—if I have a second chance—I won't leave her worn. I'll keep her together, safe and whole, complete in a way she's never been. I'll also make her damn tired of hearing how much I love her.

She lets out a small gasp, almost a moan. I practically forget what I came here to do.

As much as I want to sneak back inside before the others notice and fuck her senseless, there's something else I need to say first.

"For the record, I made one more mistake," I whisper against her mouth, pulling away just long enough to see her dark eyes consumed with the same need roaring in my blood. "I should've told you I loved you a hell of a lot sooner."