Firestorm (Sons of Templar MC #2)(72)

She pulled back. “Once this whole kidnapping thing is a little less fresh I’m going to totally kick your ass about the whole taking off thing, and you’ll have some serious explaining to do, young lady.”

I smirked at her. “Wow, look at you, going all mom on me.”

She opened her mouth to retort when Cade joined us at the door, Belle in his arms. “Come on, baby, it’s time for me to get my girls home.”

Gwen glared at him for a second before turning her attention back to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Love you.”

“Love you, Gwennie,” I replied quietly.

I looked up at her husband. “Thanks, Cade, for everything.”

Cade leaned in, brushing his lips on my cheek. “Don’t need to thank me, darlin’, you’re family,” he said before directing his family outside.

I stood in the foyer, wrapping my arms around myself, letting the atmosphere of my home settle around me. This was home for me. Not just this house, but Amber and everyone in it. The cold, sprawling penthouse where I grew up had nothing on this place. I felt safe here, like I belonged. No matter the fact there wasn’t a Barney’s or Bergdorf’s in a hundred mile radius.

“You should be sitting down,” a voice informed me.

I jumped slightly and turned to see Brock leaning against the doorframe. He was really something in his jeans and cut. Tattoos sprawled across his arms, and I took in his long hair and handsome face. I shook myself.

“I’m fine,” I replied.

“That’s why you’re standing in the middle of the room staring into space?”

“I just needed a moment,” I told him. “You can go now. I doubt I’m in danger of bleeding out anymore and I think my chances of getting kidnapped again are reasonably slim.”

Brock frowned at me. “I’m not going anywhere, Amy.”

“What do you mean? Your job’s done. I’m home. You can go back to your life. We can both go back to the way it was.”

“The way it was?” Brock asked in a dangerous tone, pushing off the door. “You mean the f*ckin’ hell of the past year, trying to get you to talk to me, to f*ckin’ look at me without running off?”

I straightened. “I didn’t run off,” I argued.

“Cut the shit, Sparky. You’ve been avoiding me ever since...” He paused.

Ever since Ian died was the unspoken phrase hanging in the air.

“Then after what happened at Cade and Gwen’s wedding you spouted all that bullshit and ran off,” he continued, smoothing over the ‘Ian dying’ part.

“It wasn’t bullshit!” I protested, for some reason carrying on the lie, protecting my heart.

Brock stepped forward so he was way into my personal space, his presence overwhelming my senses. I hated it when he did that, using his body against me. He knew it distracted me.

“Don’t lie to me, Amy. Not again. Not after everything we just went through. Not after I almost lost you.” His voice held a warning but he stroked my face tenderly, staring at me.

“You have to go,” I pleaded quietly, feeling emotionally raw.

He shook his head slightly. “I’m not going anywhere, Sparky. I’m not letting you push me away again. We’re going to do this, you and me.” His voice brokered no argument.

I gazed into his eyes, taking in the determination and, emotion in them. They were unguarded.

“I’m afraid,” I confessed finally.

His face softened. “What are you afraid of?”

“Losing...” I started, but his fingertips brushed my lips.

“You aren’t going to lose me. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“I know,” I said.

His actions and the look in his eyes right now told me how much he was in this. I had known deep down how much he cared about me, but self-preservation had me in denial.

I took a deep breath, “I’m afraid of losing myself. Of getting so deep in this that I attach everything that I am to you. And if something happens I not only lose you, but I lose myself too.” I told him my greatest fear, what I knew would happen if I gave into what this was between us. Because I knew what we had; it wasn’t hearts and roses warm fuzzy type of love. It was a soul-wrenching, heart destroying, all-consuming kind of love. It could be the greatest thing to ever happen to me, or it could ruin me beyond repair.

Brock stared quietly for a moment as if he was letting my words sink in. “Baby, you are the most strong-willed, stubborn, brave and irritating woman I’ve ever met. You’re small but you take up an entire room. You aren’t afraid to be who you are and you’ve got this spark inside you that lights you from the inside out.” His hands grasped my neck. “No matter what happens with us that spark ain’t gonna go out. But trust me, I don’t intend on letting anything happen between us.”

I sucked in a breath, unsure of everything, and certain at the same time. I knew I loved this man who had waited around and still wanted me after everything that happened, but I still hesitated. When I first fell in love with Ian, despite my strong feelings against the sappy emotion, I was ready to jump in, to be with him. Then he broke my heart and I turned into one of those girls who I had strived to be different from. My shield that I had built growing up in a loveless family had cracked. I repaired it with time. But I knew that if something happened with Brock my shield wouldn’t just crack, it would shatter.