Page 132 of The Complete Truth Duet
“Maybe. But that’s the thing about lies, Penn. They taint the truth until you have no idea what to believe.”
A vise in my chest cranked down until I thought my ribs would break. I knew for a fact that crawling into his lap and feeling his strong hands gliding up and down my back would ease it. But what I wanted and what I would allow myself to get sucked into again were two different stories. He’d said that he wanted to protect me. But in the process, he broke me in ways that Dante, Marcos, or even Thomas never could. There wasn’t enough of me left to take that chance again.
“I believe you. I think you did have my best interest at heart, but I also think you highly underestimated who I am as a person. All I know for sure right now is that, despite that your heart is beating, Penn Walker died in that fire. And you need to accept that we aren’t just falling back into us. I have to figure out for myself how much of the man I loved is left inside this Shane guy, but it’s going to take time.” I got to my feet and walked over to him, extending a hand down to help him up. “Time that is going to have to wait. After tonight, there is a storm brewing around us. We all need to sit down and figure out what to do about Thomas. There are three girls out there who have been through some pretty traumatic stuff. Our problems don’t matter until we make theirs disappear.”
He stared up at me, his blue eyes locked on mine. “You don’t have to worry about Thomas.”
I scoffed. “That might be the biggest lie you’ve ever told me.”
He took my hand and pulled himself up. When he got to his feet, he gave me a sharp tug, sending me stumbling into his chest. I didn’t have a chance to react before his arm snaked around me, dragging me closer until our bodies became flush, head to toe.
My breathing sped as his warmth encompassed me, driving out the chill that settled in my bones since he’d been gone. His chest moved with mine, rising and falling in a synchronized dance as though even our exhales desired each other. He dipped his head, the hairs on his jaw tickling my cheek, eliciting countless memories of his face scrubbing mine as he surged inside me, our bodies fevered and frenzied.
Better judgment told me to back away. I’d asked for time. Thirty seconds wasn’t what I’d meant.
But then his breath flittered across my skin, causing a wave of chills to wash over me as he said, “This thing between us was never about truths or lies. We both felt it before the first word had ever been spoken. That day in your bathroom when you grabbed my arm, begging me not to expose Savannah, you might as well have crawled inside me and recoded my DNA, because two seconds later, my life started all over again. You felt it then.” He gave me a pointed squeeze. “And I know you feel it now. So take all the time you need, baby. But consider this fair warning: Penn Walker didn’t die. I’m very much alive and coming for you.”
I gasped when his lips touched just below my ear, igniting sparks inside me.
And then all too soon, he released me and started toward the bedroom door. “I need to make sure Drew got back.”
I blinked. Like a million times.
What the hell was happening?
I’d known Penn’s wife.
She’d told him about me.
His name was Shane.
Drew wasn’t his brother.
Thomas had killed Lexy.
Penn was going to kill him.
He’d already killed Dante and Marcos.
Savannah was back.
So was Catalina.
Thomas had tried to shoot her.
And Penn was alive…and coming for me.
What the hell was going on?
“Did you have dinner?” Penn asked, swinging the door open.
I did another round of the blinks.
“Right,” he mumbled. “Let me see if I can find a delivery place that’s still open. Any preference?”
“Yes. One that can deliver me a new life.”
He winked. “I’ll see what I can do.” He tilted his head toward the door. “You coming?”
I wanted to say no. I wanted to lock that door and crash into his bed, which was probably bajillionaire comfortable and smelled like him. I wanted to sleep for a month and hopefully wake up in a world that made sense. But River was out there, more than likely worried sick. And Savannah was out there, healthy and smiling. And if my memory served me correctly, she was wearing pajamas that actually made her look her age and not twenty-six. That alone was a miracle far bigger than Penn coming back from the dead.
And with all of that in mind, I put one foot in front of the other and said, “Yeah. I’m coming.”
