9
Chapter Nine
Armand
I shouldn’t be doing this. This vulnerable girl, however sexy and brave, should be off-limits to me. She is caught in the middle of a dangerous situation. I killed her father. I rode a wrecking ball through her whole world.
But I can’t let her go.
I hold her lightly, giving her the opportunity to squirm away if she wants. But instead she buries her face against my shoulder. One hand grasps my shirtfront, clinging to me. The other is balled into a fist and smacks against my arm harmlessly.
As her tears soak through my shirt, the mix of guilt, empathy, and desire threatens to boil over inside of me. I stroke her hair gently, murmuring in a soothing tone that it will be all right, that she’s strong enough to get through this, that I will help her.
When did her nee
