Page 150 of Perfect Liar

He sat at the edge and dropped his head.

“This goddamn life with me, the things I must do…it won’t be easy for you.”

I got on my knees behind him and massaged the muscles in his shoulders and his neck.

“Our life together will never be easy, not for either one of us.”

He took one of my hands and pulled it around to his lips.

“You deserve more than some fucking mercenary.”

“You’re not that, not anymore. You had no choice before, but now you make the rules?—”

“—if you want something else, baby.”

He hesitated with that, but I sure as hell didn’t.

“Don’t do that, Will. Don’t you dare do that to me.”

“You have the right to choose how you spend the rest of your life.”

I climbed around onto his lap to face him.

“No, my father left me without a choice. But when it comes to who I spend my life with, you’re right—that’s my decision. And I’ve decided. I know who you are, Will. I know your past haunts you. And I know the lives taken since we came together were only to save mine. You’re my lifeline.”

He put his arms around me but still stared at the floor.

“More than that, you’re the man I love,” I added.

His eyes met mine, and I went on, determined to not let us fall apart.

“Don’t destroy us. We’re not Ethan and Isabel. We will live, and we’ll find our way through this. So here’s what I want from you…I want you to take my freedom back from the bastards who stole it from me, from us. You take it, Will, and give it back to me.”

He drew me in tightly against his body and put his face on my neck.

“Jesus, Elle. Christ, how I need you.”

My heartbeat was strong in that moment, and I wanted him to hear it before anxiety took it from me again. I wrapped my arms around his head and pulled his ear to my chest.

“I’m not going anywhere, Will.”

He nodded, then we lay down and held each other. We fell asleep that way, clinging to each other.

Hours later when I woke up, we were lying face to face, and Will stared at me. His eyes were clear again, the dark circles beneath them fading, and the muscles in his face had relaxed.

“Why aren’t you in the gym this morning with your brothers?” I asked.

He plucked rose petals out of my hair.

“You slept so peacefully, Elle.”

“You should wake me when you don’t go downstairs.”

He placed his hand on the back of my head and pulled me to his mouth.

“I’ll never do that.”

“What are you going to do today…back to London?”