Willow

“I’m sorry for making you feel like you had to,” he replied, dipping his head to kiss me again.

I smiled up at him. “How about we just agree to move forward from here. I’m Willow, you’re Ronan, and we love each other. That’s all there is to it.” I glanced around. “After all, this isn’t exactly the best place for a heart-to-heart.”

His lips curved gently. “Sounds perfect.” Then he shook his head. “When I saw you fly across the room, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

“Well, he won’t be hurting anyone from now on. At least, not outside of prison.”

“Thank God.” I couldn’t believe it was actually over.

When I’d heard Petrov enter the room, I’d worried the sound of my heart battering against my rib cage would alert him to my presence, but before he’d had a chance to find me, Ronan had charged in like that white knight he’d told me he’s not.

Kade stuck his head in the door. “Police are here.”

Ronan met my eyes. “We’ll talk more later. You’re fine to answer their questions? I can buy you a little time to recover if you need it.”

“No, I’ll be fine. The sooner it’s over, the better. I want to erase this from my mind.”

“Fair enough.” He offered me a hand, and I took it.

Together, we walked out to the living area, where Ronan’s companions had gathered Petrov and his three men. They sat in the corner, bound, gagged, and glaring.

Detective Lee looked rather amused.

“Good job subduing them,” she said. “Please tell me you didn’t enter illegally.”

“We had a key,” Ronan replied evasively.

“Uh-huh.” She didn’t press, and for that, I was grateful. She directed one of the officers to read the men their rights, then approached me. She moved slowly, as if worried she might scare me. Her caution wasn’t necessary, but I appreciated the thought. “I’m pleased you’re okay, Miss Lennox.”

“Willow.” Miss Lennox sounded so formal.

“Willow,” she amended. “We’ll need to have you looked over by a paramedic, but in the meantime, how do you feel about answering some questions?”

I glanced at Petrov, whose hateful stare burned into me, and bit my lip. “Could we do it somewhere else? I don’t want to be in the same room as that man.”

She nodded. “We’ll take you to the station and have a paramedic meet us there. Does that sound all right to you?”

I nodded.

Ronan curled an arm around my shoulders. “I’m coming, too.”

“I’d expect nothing less.” The detective checked her watch. “We’ll go in a couple of minutes. Hold on.” She strode over to the officers and spoke softly enough that I couldn’t hear.

Ronan’s fingers intertwined with mine, and our palms pressed together.

I raised my eyes to his and smiled, then winced at a flash of pain on the side of my face.