The Heiress and Her Bodyguard novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Alibi

The front door shut behind the detective, and the house fell silent.

"You lied to him," Jonas said.

"I did."

"You could be charged for that."

"Then we'll be in the same cell, and you can explain to me what you didn't tell me."

I started up the stairs and he followed.

My legs were unsteady, but I counted anyway.

Nineteen, and the third one creaked.

In my bedroom the dresser still stood against the window where he'd dragged it.

The bed had been made.

Dorrit would have been mortified.

I sat on the edge of it and found my shoes and kicked them off.

"Come here."

He crossed the room.

He stopped in front of me, and I put my hands on his belt and then took them off again.

"You don't deserve this," I said.

"I know."

"I'm still going to do it."

"Linnea."

"Don't tell me no."

"I've decided."

"I lied to a police detective so I could keep you in my house, knowing exactly what you did."

"I can decide to touch you."

I stood and took his face in my hands.

His cheek was swollen where I'd hit him.

I stroked my thumb across it as gently as I could, and he shut his eyes, and his lashes swept my fingers.

"I'm sorry I hit you."

"Don't be."

"I'm not sorry enough to take it back."

"Good."

I kissed him.

It wasn't like the first time.

It was slow and sore, his mouth careful against mine, and when he opened I felt him shake.

His hands came up to my waist.

He didn't pull.

He waited, and I understood he would wait as long as I made him.

I unbuttoned his shirt one button at a time, the way he'd done mine.

Then I pushed it off his shoulders and ran my palms over his scars.

The long one on his ribs.

The round one under his shoulder.

"Tell me."

"Shrapnel."

"A road outside Kandahar."

"I was twenty-four."

"And this?"

"A man with a pipe."

"A bar in Fayetteville."

"And this one?"

← Chapter 11 · All chapters · Chapter 13 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend