One Bossy Offer (127)

“I had to thank you for everything, Jenn. You came to my rescue when I damn well didn’t deserve it.” The regret shadowing his eyes cuts me in half.

“Ava Wickes, you mean?”

Of course.

I should’ve known she’d mention me at some point, even if I hoped she wouldn’t.

He nods, his gaze softening. “She said you found her at some resort and convinced her to call me and spill her guts. You accomplished more than a whole team of investigators I threw together. Hell, if you hadn’t found her, this still wouldn’t be resolved. My old man would be spending his last days in a state mental hospital. I owe you the universe, woman.”

You lunk.

You stupid, sweet, bad-for-me man.

I can’t believe you still surprise me.

I shrug, rolling my shoulders so suddenly my bones hurt.

“You don’t owe me anything. It was the right thing to do, regardless of whatever happened with—well, everything.”

“Jenn, you didn’t have to follow her to another town and talk some sense into her. That wasn’t just thoughtful. It saved my ass.”

Glancing down at the desk, I sigh. “Come on. First off, half of it was Pippa’s idea. She was along for the ride. Also, Simone tried to pin made up sexual abuse on your poor father, and after seeing all the bad press and the Twitter tea... It’s safe to say your dad wasn’t the only one she tried to screw over. If a cartoon villain like her ever came after me, I’d hope to have a hero charging in.”

“Then you see why I had to protect you.” His eyes search mine as he leans closer. “Not that it excuses anything. After the shit I barked at you, I’d wear a muzzle for the next ten years and it still wouldn’t make it right.”

I try not to snicker at the mental image that brings.

Stay strong.

Don’t get his hopes up that he’s winning you over because he’s totally not—is he?

“How did you know Wickes was lying, anyway? Even I didn’t know what to think.”

“I had proof. Your parents were here when Wickes claimed she last saw Royal, and I had the records to back it up. I was, um, trying to work up the courage to send them over. But I also wanted a silver bullet first.”

He looks at me silently, his eyes glowing like soft blue stars.

“Gram kept paper records for everything. I didn’t plan on chasing Ava down like I did. It just sort of happened, thank God, and Pippa deserves a huge amount of credit for getting me off my butt and—”

I stop mid-sentence when his finger lands softly on my lips.

My eyebrows go up in question.

“Stop. You don’t owe me an explanation. You’re goddamned amazing enough.”

My heart thuds so loudly it’s deafening.

He’s tall and handsome and too complicated for life, and now he’s complimenting me with a love in his eyes I don’t know what to do with.

But love doesn’t just magically fix everything.

It doesn’t explain anything.

And God help me, I know where this goes.

Jenn, stay strong, a voice pleads at the back of my mind.

“Is that all then?” I force out.

His face falls.

“No. Jenn, pushing you away was the biggest mistake of my life. Worse than missing my father’s calls that night, and I couldn’t control that, no matter how many years I beat myself over it. It isn’t my fault my mother died, and it wasn’t Simone that pushed you away.”

He pauses.

A shaky breath fills my lungs.

“It was me,” he whispers, his voice so raw. “No matter what she pulled, I could always control the way I treated you, and I failed that test miserably. You told me you deserved better. You were right, and you do. I’m sorry as hell it took me this long to realize it, and sorrier I didn’t realize what I had. That’s why you’ve got a talking jackass barging into your work and hounding you. I want to believe this mess drilled some sense into my brain. I want to be the man you deserve.”

Holy mother of—why is he doing this to me?

Why?

My eyes sting.

I blink a few times, fighting back the tears that are two seconds from spilling over. “Miles, that’s really sweet, but... I’m just not sure it changes anything. What do you want?”

“A second chance.”

I knew he’d say that.

My eyes flutter shut and I draw a breath.

This is the moment of truth.

We’re about to find out if I’ve feasted on enough self-help TikToks and audiobooks to battle the addiction.

Because the truth is, Miles Cromwell is still my favorite high, and all I want is another fix.

Because none of his heartfelt apologies explain how this ever works with us, and I don’t believe it can.

“Jenn? What are you thinking?” he whispers, so close to me now.

He’s leaning across the desk, tormenting me with the proximity of his lips.

“Miles, I—I don’t want to hurt you.”

“But?”

“But I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

I can hear his lungs heaving. I think his soul escapes in that breath.

“Because I hurt you? I’ll make it right, Jenn. Whatever it takes. Anything.”

His eyes search mine, pleading, but I shake my head.