Where Darkness Lives (Guardians of Eternity #7.75)(33)

Something flared through the dark eyes. “I know.”

She blinked. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say for yourself?” She lowered her voice, mimicking his less-than-impressive explanation. “‘I know.’”

“I was scared,” he clarified.

Her brows snapped together. “If you’re trying to be funny ...”

“I’m not.”

“Mr. Neanderthal was scared?” She allowed her gaze to trail down the hard, toned perfection of his body. “Of what?”

“I didn’t know at the time.” He studied her with blatant regret. “I only knew that whenever I told myself I had to confess the truth, I found some reason to put off the inevitable.”

Her heart gave a renegade flutter. “And now?”

“Now I know that I was terrified that when you learned the truth you would never be able to forgive me. If I lost you ...” He abruptly reached to grasp her hand in a near painful grip, a haunting fear briefly flaring through his eyes. “I wouldn’t be able to survive.”

A portion of her fury faded. There was no doubting the sincerity of his words.

She could feel the fierce emotions that pulsed through his body. They echoed in her own heart.

“What exactly is the truth?” she asked, her voice thick.

“I think you know most of it.” His thumb caressed her inner wrist, the light caress sending jolts of pleasure shooting through her. “I was contacted by Salvatore two weeks ago. He said that his mother-in-law was in danger, but that she was too stubborn to accept his help.” He grimaced. “To be honest, I wasn’t happy about his request. I’m a soldier, not a babysitter.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And I’m not an aging, feebleminded female who needs her hand held by a big, bad male,” she snapped.

“Aging?” He seemed baffled by her outrage. “You’re an exquisite female who is just reaching her prime.”

A secret part of her preened at his words—she was, after all, about to become a grandmother, she had every right to be sensitive. But she was still angered by the thought she’d been treated as if she was incapable of making her own decisions.

“And feebleminded?” she pressed.

Frustration tightened his expression. “Of course you aren’t feebleminded. Hell, you’re clever enough to ensure my life is going to be a constant battle to keep up with you. But I won’t apologize for trying to keep you safe, cara,” he rasped. “It’s what I was born to do.”

Okay.

That was exactly the right thing to say, she wryly acknowledged.

Not that she was ready to concede defeat. There were still a few bones to pick.

“If Salvatore realized I was searching for a bodyguard, why did he send you?” One day she would discover exactly how her son-in-law had known she was in danger and that she was looking for a hired thug. “It was obvious I was taking steps to protect myself.”

“Because I’m the best.”

She snorted. “Even if you do say so yourself?”

His dark gaze never wavered. “It’s not a boast, Sophia, it’s the simple truth.”

She believed him.

There was a vast difference between arrogance and confidence.

But she didn’t accept that it was just his talent in providing security that had prompted Salvatore to choose him.

“And because you would report to him?”

“Yes,” he admitted without hesitation. “Your daughters were anxious to know you were safe.” Abruptly his grip on her hand tightened, his wolf glowing in his eyes. “Of course, in the end I failed you.”

Sophia sucked in a sharp breath as she felt the guilt that was festering deep inside Luc.

Christ, she’d never thought he would be blaming himself for her being kidnapped by Morton. The cur was raving mad. Who could possibly have predicted what he would do?

She leaned forward to frame his face in her hands, glaring into his wounded eyes.

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true. Mierda.” He shuddered, his hands lifting to lightly grasp her wrists. As if he needed to reassure himself that she was alive and unharmed. “I was so worried you would be lured into a trap and I walked straight into one. And then, when Morton was torturing you with that damned collar ...”

Without thought she leaned forward to halt his pained words with a fierce kiss. She couldn’t bear for him to be burdened with regret when he’d done everything possible to keep her safe. But as soon as their mouths connected, the gesture of comfort combusted into something far more intense.

Dangerous.

Hurriedly she jerked back, licking her tingling lips.

“I’m assuming he’s dead?”

His brooding gaze remained locked on her mouth. “Yes.”

“Good.”

There was a short silence as they both savored the thought of Morton dead.

Sophia hoped the bastard was rotting in hell.

At last, Luc slowly smiled. “Of course, there was one good thing about being locked in that basement.”

A good thing?

She scowled. “Did you take a blow to the head? That place was a nightmare.”

“You risked your life to rescue me,” he pointed out softly. “You wouldn’t have done that if you didn’t still love me.”