“Don’t go,” I pleaded.
But she wasn’t even looking at me. Her head was turned to the side, her eyes focused on the wall, blocking me out completely.
When I continued to cut off her exit, she finally lifted her eyes to look at me. “Please move. I don’t belong here.”
My heart felt like she was physically ripping it out of my chest. “Treasure—”
“I’m “treasure’ now?” she demanded, the hurt shining out of her eyes like a punch to the gut. “Funny how you forgot that when we were in front of your family.”
“No,” I denied. “You are my treasure. Now and always.”
“As long as your mom or sisters aren’t around,” she signed with a nod.
“No!”
“Admit it,” she commanded. “You and I do not belong together. Your family made that obvious tonight, and I finally opened my eyes to that fact.” She paused, then shook her head. “No, that’s a lie. I always knew this wouldn’t work. You’re you, and I’m…me. Your mom, your sisters and cousins, they took one look at me, and they knew what I’ve been denying from the night we met. I was only deluding myself, imagining that we stood a chance just because I fell in love with you.”
My heart stopped, the air seeming to freeze in my lungs. “You love me?” I wheezed out, and thank fuck her eyes were on my mouth because my brain didn’t have enough firepower to speak to her in ASL right then.
Her eyes filled with tears, but she squared her shoulders. “Yes,” she signed, lifting her chin and meeting my gaze. “But it doesn’t matter. Love isn’t enough when there are such drastic differences between us.”
She was right. There were huge differences between the two of us. She was an angel, so innocent and beautiful inside and out. Whereas I could kill a man and not feel an ounce of remorse. I was evil compared to her kind soul.
My treasure thought she was wrong for me because she had lived on the streets. She assumed that because she had no money or material things that she wasn’t good enough for me. She was willing to let me go because she thought my family disapproved of us being together.
And the worst part was, even though I knew that I should let her go, that I was wrong for her in all the worst ways, I couldn’t. I was too selfish. I needed Delaney more than I needed anything or anyone.
I would die before I willingly gave her up.
“What did my sisters do?” I asked, needing to know so I could fix whatever they must have unintentionally done to make her think we were wrong for each other. I frowned, because she’d mentioned my cousins as well. “Which cousins made you think we shouldn’t be together.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she dismissed. “Get out of my way, Max. I never should have even come here with you that first night. You should have just taken me to that shelter.”
“That shelter is for battered women on the run from their abusive boyfriends or husbands,” I told her. Of course, it was for runaways too, but she didn’t need to know that anytime soon. “My aunt Gracie runs it.”
She blanched, taking a step back from me. “Your family runs this entire town, don’t they? The diner, this garage, the sheriff, that bar, even the shelter.” Swallowing hard, she adjusted the strap of the backpack on her shoulder. “What else do they control?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“It is to me.”
“It’s not so much my biological family that controls the county.” Her eyes narrowed on me, and I sighed, knowing the truth wasn’t going to win me any points. My family did basically own Trinity County in some shape or form, but not exactly all of it. The college wasn’t owned, operated, or even on our agenda. If anything, it was a pain in the ass, but one that brought economic growth to the community when school was in session. “Most of the small businesses in town are owned and operated by at least one member of my MC.”
“Of course they are,” she signed, her head shaking disparagingly. “You’re not only the sweetest, kindest guy I’ve ever met, but you’re also like the prince of this place. You’re royalty, and I’m… I’m…” A tear spilled over her lashes. “I’m just the trash that needs to be taken out.”
Her words broke my heart and pissed me off all at the same time. Picking her up, I made sure the door was locked before carrying her back into our bedroom. Shutting and locking that door as well, I crossed to the bed and placed her on the end before dropping to my knees in front of her.
“Pay attention,” I instructed. “Because I need you to really understand what I’m saying here.”
Her chin trembled, but she nodded.
“Do not ever refer to yourself as trash. Not now, not ever.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and I used my thumb to release the tortured flesh. I wanted to kiss the teeth imprints away, but I needed to get this sorted with her before I put my lips on her again. “I am unworthy of you and your beautiful soul, treasure. The moment I set eyes on you, I knew that angels were real because one had fallen from heaven and stood before me. I thought I’d died, but when I realized I would have been dragged to hell, not given a taste of paradise in the form of you, I knew I was still very much alive.”
Her brows pinched together. “You couldn’t possibly be sent to hell,” she tried to argue.
I wanted to laugh, but she didn’t know the darker side of my life. If she did, she would never think I was sweet or kind. But she wouldn’t have been so misled into thinking that I was better than her either. In comparison, I was worthless. Anyone who knew the real me would see that in
