Page 131 of Shades of Loyalty
Shit. What if this person notices the small beads of blood on my shirt? What do I tell them?
A familiar voice cuts through the space.
“Oh my God, you’resafe.”
My breath catches. My body tenses.
Then—small, gentle arms wrap around me.
"Pretty, what…?"
What the fuck is she doing here? Didn’t I tell her to stay out of this? To keep away from dangerous shit—especially today, when all of this is coming to an end?
Hayden steps in behind her, and the death glare I send him could burn through steel.
He shrugs like he can hear my thoughts. “Listen, I tried to stop her, but you know how she is.”
Jennifer pulls back, her hands cupping my face. Her fingers trail over my cheek—soft, careful.
Then I see it.
Blood.
My uncle’s blood. On her finger.
Her lips curl into a small, knowing smile when she catches me looking behind her.
"Don’t look at him like that," she murmurs, voice smooth as silk, pulling my focus back to her.
God, I love this woman. I need her to be mine. Forever.
"He didn’t want to let me come, but I had to," she continues. "I needed to see you. I needed to know you were okay.”
Shit.
"Baby, why are you here?" I scoff, but there’s no real anger behind it. "I love seeing you, and I appreciate your worry but… now? Here? Really?"
She tilts her head, smiling like I don’t have blood on me. Like I didn’t just kill a man.
Like she didn’t run away from me a few days ago.
"I had to prove to you that I love you. No matter what." Her voice drops, the words laced with something deeper. "Is this enough proof after last time?"
My gaze flicks to her shirt.
"There’s some blood on your clothes, baby."
She shrugs. "So what?"
Then she steps even closer, her fingers trailing up my jaw. Her touch is warm. Her eyes—soft but filled with fire.
"I told you already, Daniel." Her lips brush mine before curling into a smirk. "I’m proud of you. I always will be. No matter what. I’m so thankful that you do anything to protect us…”
Fuck.
A slow smile spreads across my face as I grab her waist, pushing her back against the elevator wall.
My lips crash into hers, and she gasps into my mouth. Her body melts against mine as we lose ourselves in the kiss—deep, desperate, like we need this more than air.
