Page 120 of Lawless

“I have space,” he argues before leaning around me and grabbing the bottle of water and crackers and placing them on my lap.

Happy that I have what I need, he leans again and snags his coffee.

“What?” he asks when I just stare at him in disbelief.

I blink for a few seconds, unable to find my voice.

“Do you want me here?” I ask

“We’re safe here, Pet. They won’t find you this time, I fucking swear.”

My eyes bounce between his tired ones and the jealousy I felt at seeing him with whoever she is finally ebbs away.

He’s sitting here with you in his lap, not chasing her.

The faintest smile twitches at my lips.

“That wasn’t what I meant,” I whisper.

His lips part and his brows pinch, but reality hits him before he can question me.

“Pet,” he breathes, still ignoring his precious coffee in favor of looking into my eyes, “I’m so fucking sorry.”

My breath catches at the sincerity in those four words.

There can’t be many people in the world who’ve heard that tone from the notorious son of Victor Harris.

“I thought that you’d be safe there.”

My brows dip in confusion.

“You knew?” I whisper. “You knew where we were?”

“Pet,” he breathes.

“It was your cabin, wasn’t it?”

His eyes drop from mine.

“You organized for us to leave in the middle of the night. You were trying to protect us.”

His throat ripples on a thick swallow.

“For the good it did,” he mutters under his breath.

“We’re okay,” I whisper.

His head snaps up, his eyes blazing with fire.

“He had you in a cage, Alana. Mav, he—”

Regret darkens his eyes before he looks away again, focusing on his coffee.

He takes a sip, not so much as wincing as the still-steaming liquid hits his lips.

Following his move, I lift the bottle of water and swallow down a huge mouthful, letting it soothe my raw throat.

My stomach growls, and on instinct, I reach for a cracker, nibbling the corner.