Page 82 of Broken Saint

“Luc,” I beg, making Kane’s brows pinch in confusion.

“Okay, let’s come at this from a different angle. Now you’ve got her back, can you imagine a future with her gone again?”

“Motherfucker,” I mutter as pain slices through my chest at the thought of her returning to Texas and her old life. Whether that’s with her ex or some other prick who could never understand just how fucking lucky they are to have her in their lives.

“Exactly. So what are you going to do about it?” Kane asks.

“Want me to call in a favor at Matteo’s?” Luca offers. He’s on first-name terms with the Italian bistro Peyton found hidden on a backstreet downtown not long after they moved here. “Don’t answer that; I’m on it,” he says, grabbing his cell from his locker, waking it up, his thumbs immediately tapping out a message.

“I’ll get Letty to get her ready,” Kane says, also grabbing his cell. “You’re going to sweep her off her feet. Show her all the reasons why Seattle is where she should be, and why you’re a man she can rely on,” he adds confidently.

“Am I, though?”

“Colt,” Luca sighs, lowering his cell to focus on me. “Ella doesn’t want you to be perfect. She doesn’t expect you to be. She just wants you to want her. To give her all the things she’s always dreamed of. Put her first. Show her that she means more to you than a quick fuck and a bit of fun. She isn’t a jersey chaser who’s looking for the perfect life you can show off in glossy magazines. She wants real. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Show her who you really are. Let her in. Trust her to be able to deal with everything just like I’m assuming she did with you last night.”

My teeth grind as I think about those scars and her shattered confidence.

He’s right.

She was brave last night. Braver than I gave her credit for.

She opened herself up and showed me her scars—not just the physical ones.

But am I going to be able to dive into why I’ve always kept her at arm’s length? Just thinking about confessing my darkest secrets gives me palpitations. I can’t imagine how I’ll cope with actually explaining them.

But despite that, the fear of losing her is stronger.

“Book the table,” I state. “Tell the girls to take her out shopping. Whatever she wants. It’s on me.”

“You got it, man,” Luca says, clapping me on the shoulder. “You’ve got this.”

22

ELLA

The warmth of Colt’s giant hand slides up my body as his lips descend on my neck, kissing and nipping at my skin in a way that drives me crazy.

My body burns up as my need for more surges through me.

“Colt,” I moan when he palms my breast and squeezes with just the right pressure.

A soft giggle hits my ears and I frown.

That wasn’t Colt. That was?—

My eyes fly open, and I find Letty sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling at me.

“Having a nice dream?” she asks with a smirk.

Ripping my eyes from her, I look down at Kyan in her arms munching on a carrot stick, but still, it’s not enough to stem the wave of embarrassment that rushes through me.

“Oh my god,” I mutter, hiding my red-hot face with my hands.

“El.” She giggles again, wrapping her fingers around my wrist and trying to pull them away. “You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about. I’ve seen you do way worse than have a sex dream,” she points out, reminding me of some of our wilder days at MKU.

“I know but we’re supposed to be like adults and shit now. Sensible.”

“Fuck that. Sensible is boring. Now, get your horny little ass up. We’ve got plans that will hopefully result in you seeing some more action.”