"Grace, I..." Keenan exhaled harshly. "This is fucking hard."
She stepped closer, wanting to stop him from sending her away. "I wanted to talk to you."
"There's not much either one of us can say." He lowered his gaze to her chest. "You'll be safer out of Avery Falls."
"Safer?" She rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled.
Keenan's gaze narrowed as his cheek twitched. "From me."
She stared in disbelief. Was he crazy? He'd done everything to keep her safe. A man had tried to kill her. If it weren't for him, she'd be dead.
Furious that he would think otherwise, she laughed harshly. No, she was mad. He'd spent nine weeks with her under lock and key after kidnapping her, and now he was going to let her walk away from him?
Keenan frowned. His confusion only riled her temper.
She panted, her body reeling from the confrontation. "Don't you get it?"
"I get that you're pissing me off." He walked a few paces away and then came back and got in her face. "It's killing me, Gracie. Giving you what you want when all I want is you."
"You, stupid man." She threw her arms around his neck. "I don't want to leave you."
He grunted and grabbed her with shaking hands. "What are you talking about?"
"Amelia was getting ready so that she could drive me back to Avery Falls. To you, Keenan." Her heart pounded. "I've been telling you for weeks that I wanted to talk to my sister. Now, I've talked to her. We spent most of the night going over everything that needed doing for me to move in with you. She understands I love you."
"You love me?" His knees dipped before he straightened again.
That time, she laughed with happiness. He sounded shocked. An emotion she'd never witnessed on him before.
"I've hated you. I've feared you. I've fallen in love with you." She rubbed her lips against his mouth. "I’m deeply in love with you."
He captured her mouth, backing her up to the wall of the hotel. A thrill swept through her as she clung to him, stroking her tongue against his.
She wished they were back at the house, and she could show him all the ways she loved him.
He pulled his head back, continuing to hold her imprisoned against the wall. "I haven't had a good life, Grace. But, I promise you, I will do whatever it takes to make sure you never regret loving me."
She kissed him, and he pulled back again. She cupped his face, seeing how difficult it was for him to talk about his feelings.
"I love you," he whispered.
She melted, pressing her lips against his mouth. That's all she'd wanted to hear.
"I called the police when I arrived at the hotel last night." She rubbed her thumbs over his eyebrows, trying to massage the tension in them. "I told them I got lost in the wilderness and, in the process, lost my PLB. Then, Amelia told them she went searching for me and found me. I didn't think it was a good idea to tell them about you, while you have other things you're dealing with at home. So, I'm no longer a missing person."
"I saw the cops last night."
"You were here?"
"I wasn't going to let you stay here without someone looking out for you." His chest expanded. "Prez and Trip brought your Jeep early this morning and headed back to Avery Falls before you were even awake. But, I couldn't make myself leave without seeing you one more time."
"I can't believe you were going to let me go." She stuck out her lower lip.
He caught her lip with his mouth, kissing her. "I probably wouldn't have been able to let you go, but I hadn't figured out how I could kidnap you with your sister around."
She laughed, loving the way he made her feel wanted. "I can't wait to get you back to the house."
He lifted his brow, pressing his semi-hard cock against her. Her leg came up, wrapping around his thigh. His life was hard and unbelievable, but it was easy to love him.
The door to the hotel room opened. She turned her face without letting go of Keenan.
Amelia raised her brows in question. Grace nodded, letting her know everything was okay. She was going back to Avery Falls, and Amelia would be going back to Canyon Beach to the condominium.
Through the night, she'd confessed all her conflicting feelings about Keenan to her sister. Leaving out the information about the Alpha Bio Project and Keenan's enhancements. She'd also left out the way Keenan killed a man to save her life.
Some things were better off left in the past.
That was part of Keenan's life that he could choose to share if he wanted. All Amelia needed to know was that Grace was taken care of, loved, and wanted.
"Everything okay out here?" asked Amelia.
"Perfect." She glanced back at Keenan, kissed him swiftly, and said, "Amelia is going back to Canyon Beach, but I'd like her to come and stay with us for a couple of weeks soon. I want you two to get to know each other. Will that be okay?"
"Anytime." Keenan moved away from the building, taking Grace with him. "Why don't you show me what needs to be packed in your sister's car, and I'll load it up while you say goodbye."
She pointed. "All her stuff is on the bed."
He kissed her again and then slipped into the room. She walked to Amelia and hugged her.
Amelia rocked her back and forth. "You'll be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." She held Amelia in front of her. "How about you?"
Amelia shrugged. "It'll be weird living by myself."
"We could always sell the condo and move you to Idaho." She raised her brows. "I need my sissy."
"I'll think about it." Amelia sighed, turning to look at Keenan. "It feels weird leaving you with someone I don't know."
"I love him." She watched Keenan stroll to the parking lot with the two bags. "I've never felt like this before."
Amelia kissed her cheek and then walked out to the parking lot with her. Grace, caught between the two people she loved, wanted more time with each of them.
"Call when you get back home." Grace wrinkled her nose, remembering that was impossible. Keenan had busted her cell, and his house lacked a landline.
"Here." Keenan handed her his phone. "You can give her that number until I get you a new phone."
She smiled, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. They'd come a long way.
While she and Amelia exchanged numbers, programming them into the phones, she stepped over and leaned against Keenan, warming as he put his arm around her shoulders.
"Drive safe. If you get sleepy, pull over and take a break." She wrapped her arms around Keenan. "I love you."
Amelia waved out the window. "Love you back, sis."
She waved until Amelia drove out of the parking lot and then sighed. Keenan tightened his arm, rolling her to the front of him.
Looking up at him, she smiled. "Our situation changed fast, huh?"
"Yeah." He kissed her nose. "Things should calm down soon."
"With your club?"
He nodded. "I'll be working longer hours for a while."
"Do I have the freedom to leave the house when I want?"
He pulled back his head, studying her intently. "Are you going to let me know where you'll be?"