I held my breath as I waited for her to finish weighing my words, judging my honesty. After what felt like a year, she nodded. My knees threatened to buckle as fierce joy and relief surged through me. I hadn't been lying. I'd take out, buy off, or run out anyone who pursued her. Anyone she thought of responding to. It should have scared me how serious I was about keeping her. The lengths I would go to make her mine. Keep her as mine. Hell, I'd already killed for her. I figured anything less was just due course for trying to make up for the fact that I almost got her killed in the first place. She blinked at me, licked her lips. I curled my fingers deeper against the bed railing to keep from reaching for her. The fierce need to secure her to me in some physical fashion pushed at me. De