Page 86 of Lost Prince

I’ve been battered and bruised. Stabbed. Shot. But the pain and torment I feel at this moment is about to bring me to my knees.

“This life of mine… God, watching Peter threaten you. I couldn’t breathe. If something happened to you, I couldn’t survive it.”

“But you thought I was working with him.” The pain in her eyes tells me that my doubt gutted her. Another item to add to my growing list of things to feel guilty about.

“When the memories came and you were there… I didn’t know what to think. I tend to go to dark places, you know?”

She nods.

“But by the end, I knew the truth. Even as I said those vile things, I just did it so he wouldn’t hurt you to hurt me.”

She gives me a nod.

I take a step closer. “I should have told you before you left, but… I’m a coward. The truth is, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

She arches a brow. “How do you know? Do you remember your harem of women?”

I think she might be teasing me. It gives me hope. “I know without a doubt that I love you more than anyone. That's why I wanted you to leave. I thought I was protecting you."

“Is that still what you want?”

Fuck no. My heart constricts at her question. Every fiber of my being wants to pull her close and never let go. But the rational part of my mind screams at me to let her go, to give her a chance at a normal life.

"I…" I start, then falter, unsure of what to say. "I want you in my life more than anything, Diana. But I don't want to ruin your life. You deserve so much better than what I can offer you."

Diana takes a step toward me, her eyes searching mine. "Don't I get a say in what I deserve?"

I swallow hard as the memory of Peter holding a gun to her head flashes through my mind, making me shudder.

"It's not just about what we want. It's about what's safe. What's right."

“I’ve been in danger before.” She purses her lips at me like she’s annoyed. “Once I was in a tornado. Another time, I hada roommate whose boyfriend used to beat her and when I intervened, he threatened to kill me.”

“Who?” The darkness fills me. “I’ll hunt him down and kill him.”

Diana shakes her head, her eyes softening. "That's not the point. The point is that the world is dangerous. I could leave here and get struck by lightning or run over by a car. But at least here with you, I’d feel safe and protected. You can't use danger as an excuse to push me away."

Her words challenge everything I thought I was doing to protect her.

"No more excuses. If you don't want me and the baby, just say it. Be honest with me. I’m a big girl, and I’ve had lots of experience in this sort of thing."

The thought of not wanting her and our child is so far from the truth it's almost laughable. It’s a crime that she’s had a life in which she never felt at home.

"I can't tell you that because it's not true. I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in my life." No truer words have ever come from my mouth. Well, except for when I told her I loved her.

"Then ask me to stay. If you really want me, ask me to stay."

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of this moment. I've spent so long pushing her away, trying to protect her, that I almost forgot how to let her in. But I can't deny my feelings anymore.

"I love you, Diana. I love you more than I thought possible. You're the only thing that keeps my demons at bay, the only person who makes me feel like I can be better than who I was."

I step closer to her, reaching out to take her hands in mine. "That's why I broke off my engagement to Ava. I couldn't go through with it knowing you were out there. I had to find you, totell you how sorry I am for ever thinking I could live without you. But then Peter?—”

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore.”

I take her hands and take the biggest step forward in my life. "Stay with me. Let me make it up to you every day for the rest of our lives."

She gives me a nod, and I pull her close.