Fighting Fate (Fighting #7)(47)

He’s looking right at me, so I can’t respond other than to simply smile. “I’ll see you later. Text me if you need me to bring you something. I can grab it on my way home.”

She waves her fingers and leaves.

I take another bird-sized bite of my granola bar and watch the muscles in Killian’s jaw flex and release as he chews. I’ve been watching him like this for four years and never thought I was deserving of anything more with him. Not after the night he learned I was the daughter of a rapist.

I know our past doesn’t dictate who we are, but I’ve been so locked up emotionally I didn’t even entertain the idea of seeking a meaningful relationship with anyone. I guess that’s why I allowed myself to be with Clifford. He treated me the way I expected, in a way I found familiar. To him I was replaceable, and on some level, I think I tried to earn a higher status with him just to prove that I wasn’t. Some desperate part of me thought by earning that with Clifford meant I could make up for not getting it when I was a kid.

“See? I knew you could do it.” Killian’s staring at the empty granola bar wrapper in my hand.

Guess being lost in my thoughts made me forget I had no appetite. I toss the wrapper to the table and take a swig of Killian’s water bottle to wash it down.

He gazes across the table at me thoughtfully. “I want you to stay with me tonight.”

“Okay.”

His eyebrows pop up. “That was easy.”

“Did you really think I’d say no?”

“I hoped you wouldn’t, but I wasn’t sure.” He leans forward and takes my hand, pressing my knuckles to his lips. “Can you believe this is really happening?”

“I wonder how many times we’ll ask each other that before we finally start believing it?”

He blinks, his finger tracing the underside of my wrist. “It’s unreal.”

“You know we’re going to have to tell my mom and Blake.” I laugh. “They’re going to love this. I think they’ve been secretly praying we’d end up together.”

His expression is suddenly serious. “They’re not the only ones.”

My pulse skitters as he presses another kiss to my knuckles, followed by another, his lips parting slightly and leaving the moisture of his mouth against my skin. It’s so innocent, gentlemanly, and strangely erotic.

“So you finally f*cked her, huh?”

I gasp as Clifford’s voice slices through our moment. The only satisfaction I get is seeing the once narrow bridge of the jerk’s nose swollen black and blue from last night.

I expect Killian to jump up and get into Clifford’s face, but instead he grins and leans back casually in his chair, keeping my hand in his. He squeezes it gently, a reminder that he’ll handle this and everything will be okay. “Nothing could ruin this day for me, not even an * like you.”

Clifford grins, but it’s far from friendly. “I understand. That * is f*cking gold once she finally gives it up.”

Killian’s posture remains casual, but his grip on me tightens and his jaw ticks.

Clifford’s cold gray eyes latch on mine. “Funny thing, she only made me wait days.” He swings his glare to Killian. “She withheld her body from you for years.”

“Fuck off, Clifford.” I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to vault over the table and tackle him to the ground.

“Yes,” Killian draws out the word like he’s bored, but his grip says he’s far from it. “Please, f*ck off, Clifford.” He pulls my hand to his lips, kissing the underside of my wrist.

My ex shrugs one shoulder then darts his gaze between us. “One thing.” He tosses a stack of photos onto the table and grins so wickedly I’d swear his teeth were pointed. “You forgot these at my place.”

I lean over the photos, and at first, all I can make out is skin until—“Oh my God!” I rip my hand from Killian’s and scramble to collect the pictures from the table.

A shadow falls over me as Killian stands to his full height. I clutch the photos to my chest as he rounds the table with the speed and composure of a predator stalking his prey. He pushes close to Clifford, nose-to-nose, and tilts his head to look right into the cocksucker’s eyes.

“This ends now.”

“Says who?” Clifford clearly doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut as Kill steps impossibly closer, ignoring the idiotic question.

“Don’t fool yourself into believing you can take me, Cliff, because I’m twice your size and you know I’d destroy you.” He taps Clifford’s nose with his finger, making the guy hiss in pain. “Think I already taught you that lesson last night, but I’d be more than f*cking happy to give you a recap.”

One of Clifford’s friends, who I didn’t notice until now, tugs at his elbow. “Security’s watching, man. Come on.”

For once Clifford seems to use his reasoning and turns away, but stops mid-step to whirl around and face me. He eyes the photos pressed to my chest. “There’s more where those came from.”

Killian shoves Clifford, making him stumble, but he recovers with a laugh and walks away.

My vision blurs with tears of humiliation. Killian spins to face me, his expression a mix of torment and, if I’m not mistaken, disappointment.