Saving 6 (Boys of Tommen, #3)

by Chloe Walsh

Shivering, she closed her eyes and leaned into my touch. “I don’t want to be with anyone else.” “Neither do I,” I replied hoarsely, and then it almost killed me to add, “But I don’t want to hurt you either, which means that I need to stay away from you, and you need to let me.” “No.” With tears dripping down her cheeks, she shook her head and tightened her hold on my waist. “I can’t.” “You have to,” I croaked out, feeling every ounce of her pain because I shared it right along with her. “Because I need to get my head clear before I can trust myself to be near you.” “But you’re fine now,” she sobbed, clutching onto me. “You didn’t go out tonight. You’re here. You’re here, Joe! You’re not strung out, or stoned, or drunk.” “We both know that I’m not fine, baby.” “But—” “Listen to me.” “No, because you’re not saying what I need you to say.” “You want the words?” Roughly clearing my throat, I sucked in a sharp breath before saying, “Fine. I love you, Aoife Molloy.” “Don’t.” “I love you,” I reiterated, eyes locked on hers as I brushed away a tear from her cheek. “I love you more than I have ever loved another person in my life, and that’s not an exaggeration. That’s the god-honest truth.” “Joe.” “Which is why I can never put you in a position like the one I put you in on Christmas Eve.” Sniffing back my emotion, I shook my head and expelled a harsh breath before adding, “It’s because I love you that I will never allow that to happen to you ever again.” “You’re not supposed to te...