Page 49 of Let Me Love You

I lick my lips, and Victor’s eyes narrow in on the movement. Maybe he’s as ready for round two as I am.

Shit. This is why I wasn’t supposed to give in. Now, it’s all I can think about.

He sits in the chair beside me more gracefully than anyone else I’ve ever met. “What did I miss?”

Harmony looks around. “Not much, just watching the town gossiping.”

I shoot daggers at my sister. He shouldn’t have to deal with the drama, yet she’s pulling him in.

“I’m used to people talking about me,” Victor says with a shrug.

“But this is our town. No one here should talk about you,” I reply.

He places his hand over mine, and my entire nervous system fries on the spot. “It’s really okay. I promise.”

Victor’s eyes connect with Elias’s before both men turn to us. My heart drops when Victor’s face turns serious.

“I need to talk to you about something,” he says, and Elias nods along.

My pounding heart is like a battle drum, ready for me to go to war at any moment as I adjust in my seat. “What is it?”

He takes one deep breath. “Someone broke into your house.”

I still, and my lungs seize. So many questions flash through my mind, but I focus on only one. “How do you know?”

He fills me in on everything, and with every word he speaks, my heart sinks lower and lower. I’ve been hesitant to let him in, to allow myself to love him, but he’s been here—loyal and seeking ways to protect Summer and me—and I’ve done nothing but accuse him of being an untrustworthy asshole who only thinks about himself.

Tears overflow and streak down my cheeks, and I look away. Victor shouldn’t see me cry. I at least need my dignity after everything.

“Shhh,” he says in a soothing voice. Now I’m a pathetic, sobbing mess as he guides my head to face him again. “I’ll do anything to protect you. I already have my men on it.”

As sweet as he is to want to take care of me … “I don’t want you to fix all my problems for me.”

He cocks his head as if he’s really confused. “What do you want then?”

I take a deep, shuddering breath, willing the tears to dry up. “For us to do it together.”

“Let’s do that then.”

My pulse quickens as I think about the fact Summer and I could’ve been there. What if they hurt her? The first intruder pops into my mind, as well as their threats to Summer. Could it be the same person? No, that’s impossible. I paid off the debt. They shouldn’t have me on their radar anymore.

My hands tremble as I stare at them. This is all my fault. If I was more proactive in securing my house, maybe whoever the intruder was would have left us alone.

Even though I wish Victor told me ASAP, the fact he called Elias, viewed film, and sent off their one clue … my heart twists. He was only trying to protect me. He’s doing so much for me, and all I’ve done is hold him at arm’s length at best while being a bitch.

Someone clears their throat, and we all look up. Becky, Frank’s daughter, says, “Welcome in. Do you know what you want to drink?”

We take turns ordering, and when Victor opens his mouth, Becky turns on her heel and walks off. I turn to ask Harmony what that was about when the whispers start.

“Becky just snubbed that handsome billionaire.”

“Maybe he’ll think twice about messing with our girls.”

I meet Victor’s gaze, and he shakes his head as if telling me to drop it. But these people don’t even know him. So why do they get to judge? If we put anyone under a microscope, we’ll find their skeletons.

“Don’t worry, Vic. We’ll get you something to drink,” Harmony says. “Everyone here has known us since we were kids. No one knows what’s going on yet. Once they do, they’ll love you.”

“He shouldn’t have to prove himself,” I say in a hushed tone. If I raise my voice even the slightest, I’m not sure I could control the volume with the red-hot anger pulsing through me.