Page 47 of Dirty Little Christmas

Jesus Christ.

I clutch her to me, my heart literally twisting in my chest. Three men robbed the warehouse with her inside. Anything could have happened to her. They could have hurt her. I could have lost her.

Fuck me.I could have lost her tonight.

"Tell me you're okay," I growl, laying her on the bed beside me and then crawling over her as if to protect her with my body. I cup her cheeks in my shaking hands, pressing my forehead to hers. "Tell me they didn't hurt you."

"N-no."

I roar in misery. I'm going to find them. I'm going to destroy them. I won't rest until the bastards are gone.

"I mean, no, they didn't h-hurt me," December says, grasping my shirt. She tangles her hands up in it again, trying to pull mecloser. "I hid until they left. They didn't even k-know I was there. I'm not hurt. I'm here. I'm s-safe."

"You are safe," I growl, pressing my mouth to hers. "You'llalwaysbe safe with me, angel."

"I'm sorry I ran last night." Her soft sigh of regret pricks at my heart. "I haven't been fair to you."

"I don't give a shit about that." I kiss away her tears. "You thought I was trying to bribe you into my bed. I don't blame you for running."

"That's...not why I ran," she whispers.

I pull back slightly to meet her gaze.

"I'm in love with you." She squeezes her eyes closed, hiding them from me as if that'll keep me from hearing what she just said. "I think I've been partially in love with you since the night we met six years ago."

"Jesus," I breathe, stunned. All this time, she's felt this way?

"When you said that last night, I realized you probably didn't feel the same way." Her lips curve into a sad simile of a smile. "That's why I ran. How could you love someone you don't even know?"

"You think I don't know you."

Her lashes flutter before her eyes open. "How can you when I haven't been honest with you? I'm not Jillian."

I chuckle quietly. "I think we established that already, sweet December. You're using your sister's name."

She nods, admitting it for the first time. "I could tell you that I didn't want to lie to you, but the truth is...no one forced me to do it. I decided for me, Alaric. I...well, I guess I should do the dignified thing and tell you that I lied because I really want to work for your company. And that's true. Idowant to work for your company. But that's not why I lied." Her earnest eyes meet mine, rimmed in red but still the clearest blue. "I just wanted to work with you."

"I know."

"You do?" Her brows furrow, and then distress filters through them. "I didn't do it for Cory."

My temper flares at the sound of his name. "I know that too. But he's the reason you had to use Jillian's name, isn't he?"

"I..."

"Don't lie to me, angel. Not now." I nip her throat. "You've been through hell. Don't make me spank the truth from you."

She moans quietly.

"Tell me, sweet December."

"Yes," she whispers.

I press my face to her throat, letting her confession quake through me. I steel myself against the hot rush of rage for her stepfather and fall into the warm wave of gratitude for her.

"Never again," I vow against her skin. "He'll never treat you that way again, December."

"Okay," she says.