Chapter Forty-Three #2
I followed him back down the hall to the library, where someone had already cleared the trays from last night, leaving the room immaculate as if we’d never been there.
Turning, I faced Cooper. I wasn't ready for this, but I was no coward.
“I’m sorry about Maxwell.”
“Me too.” Cooper had that same oddly hesitant look I’d seen in the cabin. “Are you okay?”
I didn't know how to answer that. No, I was nowhere close to okay. I lied. “I'm fine.”
“Petra?”
“Still asleep down the hall with Adam. She didn’t see anything. Neither of us did. Thank you for—” My throat locked. He’d said he loved me and walked out, knowing he might not come back. He got us to safety and then he left us. “—thank you for—” I couldn’t get the words out.
Everything burst at once, and I strode across the room, punching him in the shoulder, tears pouring down my cheeks. “You could have died, you idiot! You left us. You kept us safe and then you left us. You could have died, Cooper! What am I supposed to do if you die?”
I sobbed as his arms closed around me, holding me tight against the strong length of his body. I knew what I was saying was all wrong. Cooper would never have hidden in that safe room with us when his father and Griffen were in danger.
He’d done what he had to. He’d done the right thing. I knew that. I loved him for always doing the right thing. I’d been so scared, huddled in that room with Petra, hearing the muffled gunshots and not knowing.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. For everything.”
He rubbed his palm over my back, soothing me as my tears ran their course. I should be letting Cooper cry instead of bawling all over him. It was his father who’d died. I was being a selfish jerk. Again. And still, I cried, cried until my eyes ran dry.
When I stopped, I stayed where I was, pressed against him, breathing in the salt and man scent of him. Cooper. In one piece. With me. Cooper.
He held me, but he didn’t say anything. He’d said he was sorry. What was he sorry for? None of this was his fault.
I pushed away, wiping under my eyes. I was probably all blotchy and puffy. Great. Still, he was silent, taking me in with guarded eyes. The agony of waiting was too much. I couldn't take it a second longer.
“Cooper—”
“Do you remember your promise?” he interrupted.
Promise? What promise?
“At the cabin. You promised you’d never walk out on me again. I’m holding you to that, Alice.”
“What?” I wasn’t going anywhere. If anyone was going to walk, I figured it would be Cooper.
“If you try to go, I’ll follow you. You love me. I know you do.”
“Cooper, I—”
“I can make it up to you. Make up for Lacey, for Maxwell, for everything that’s gone wrong. Just give me a chance.”
“Cooper,” I cut in, “what the hell are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere.”
Cooper stared at me, face blank. Slowly, he said, “Alice, my mother tried to kill you. My father brought the mob into our home.”
“I know. I was there.” Reaching up, I lay my palm against the side of his face. I couldn’t blame Cooper for being a little spun, for getting all of this backward. He’d just watched his father die. “I put your mother in the hospital, Cooper.”
He gave a quick shake of his head, and I dropped my hand, confused. I couldn’t forget Lacey, bleeding and unconscious, lying in the midst of all that broken glass. If I couldn’t forget, how could Cooper?
Catching my hands in his, he said, “I need to know if you can forgive me.”
“Forgive you for what?” Cooper felt guilty? God, we were idiots. I started to laugh. Cooper’s eyebrows knit together in confusion.
“Griffen is right,” I said through giggles that bordered on hysterical. “We are dumbasses. This isn’t your fault, Cooper.”
“It's not yours, either.”
“I did almost kill your mother.”
Cooper shook his head. “As much as I hate to say this, she had it coming. And you didn't almost kill her. Didn’t Griffen tell you?” He shook his head again.
“Never mind. He didn't know. She's fine.
She'd lost a lot of blood and she hit her head, but she's fine.
Not speaking to us at the moment, but I can't say I'm sorry about that.
She's lucky I'm not pressing charges for breaking and entering, trying to murder you and kidnap Petra.”
“I love you, Cooper. You said it twice, and I was so surprised I never got to say it back. I love you.”
“Why were you surprised?” he asked, stroking a finger down the side of my face. “What was all of this about if not love? Of course, I love you. I’ve loved you forever.”
“Good, because I’m not going anywhere. Except home. With you.”
Cooper pulled me against him, looking down into my face, the blank shock finally erased from his eyes, replaced by a heat I knew would warm me for the rest of my life.
“Home,” he agreed. “But not yet. We’re staying here for a while. Our place is a crime scene. And we don’t have a door.”
“What?” What had happened to the door?
“Don’t ask. You don’t want to know.”
Normally, I didn’t like to be shut out of information, but this time Cooper was right. I didn’t want to know. He was safe, Petra and I were safe, Griffen was going to recover, and Cooper loved me. That was all I needed to know.
Out of nowhere, the world turned upside down and I was over Cooper's shoulder, moving through the room and into the hall.
“Cooper! What are you doing? Put me down.”
He didn’t answer, opening a door not far from the library and flicking on a light. A lock turned, a metal bar snicking into place. My hair flipped back over my head as he set me on some kind of counter. I looked around. Wine everywhere.
With that wicked grin I loved, Cooper said, “The Winters House wine room. I happen to know it’s the only room on this floor with a deadbolt. I want you to myself, just for a minute.”
His lips stroked over mine and the rest of the world fell away. His family waiting outside. Petra, soon to wake up. We’d be there for all of them. In a minute.
For now, Cooper was all mine, and I was his. I fell into his kiss, my body wrapped around his, my heart full of Cooper.
He was everything I’d ever wanted. Everything I’d dreamed of.
I’d keep my promise. I’d never leave him, never give up on him. We belonged to each other. Now and forever.