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She wasn’t deserving She wasn’t brave like he was She didn’t have a fourth of his courage She had no idea why of all the woely happy that he had, and by God, she’d never let hi with fury "Bullshit"

She blinked and then her eyes widened

"Deserving? You aren’t worthy of est bunch of bullshit I’ve ever heard in my life"

Her mouth fell open Yeah, she’d opened the link but hadn’t considered the consequences of hiht

"Let , Grace I’s I’ve done? What’s your worst sin? Wanting to give up rather than face a lifeti the misery of others foisted onto you in an endless cycle? Look at the things you’ve done, willingly or not You’ve given people a new lease on life You saved a child ould otherwise be dead right now and you risked your own life to do it because your heart is too soft for you to say no even though it ht have meant your own death

"You have no idea of the things I’ve done, the choices I’ve ht had long since fled Always in the shadows Questionable causes Hell, I’m a h money, I’ll do the job

"You don’t even want to know some of the jobs I’ve taken Your soft heart would weep over sos I’ve done and the choices I’ve ood Fuck that Good for who? That’s always the question Someone always benefits and someone always suffers There’s no way for everyone to be happy or safe or content I’m a saint to some, the very devil himself to others It all depends on which side of the coin you find yourself on So don’t give e or bravery because that’s just going to pissI’ll never have Goodness that goes bone deep Unwavering convictions and empathy for others You have a soul, Grace I lost mine when I allowed er existed I lost my soul when my sister died in my arms because I wasn’t there to protect her"

Grace silenced hirabbed his face and slarily on his mouth Tears ran freely down her cheeks until they both tasted the slight salt on their tongues

"Stop, just stop," she whispered brokenly "I can’t bear that you see yourself that way"

He pulled gently away, his eyes bleak as he stood He believed everything he’d said so passionately And she hated it

She scooted forward on the couch, not willing to let him escape She tried to stand but he wouldn’t let her, and so she pulled him back down until he was on his knees in front of her, their faces just inches apart

She stroked his face with both hands, s over his jaw and cheekbones, frantic to ease some of the pain and self-condemnation that billowed from his soul

"Do you want to knohat I see when I look at you?" she said around the knot in her throat

He tried to look away but she held firaze

"I see ato a cause he believed in I see a er in keeping with the principles he held close, walked away and re-created himself in a role as protector, savior, leader and, yes, hero You may not like the label, Rio, but you are a hero You’re my hero You’re my savior and protector Who else would have coht for o?

"We all make mistakes, Rio The mark of a man is how he makes up for those mistakes, and you’ve more than paid your penance"

He leaned his forehead against hers, and for athe only sound in the room

"I’ll make you a deal," she murmured "I won’t think I’m unworthy of you and your love if you never ever question that you’re worthy ofand sweet, their tongues dueling and teasing Light touches Loving touches His hands were on her face just as hers were on his Holding Touching Caressing

"Deal," he said huskily "Noant you to sit here while I fix you soth for what lies ahead The others will join us because we have to plan our departure"

She tried not to flinch She knew it had to come to an end, this idyllic escape froe that her entire world could change and she could lose everything in as little as a day

CHAPTER 31

GRACE elcoathered to sit at the bar in the kitchen while Rio fried up ha her on her condition, how she was feeling and if she was going to be okay

S, she assured them that she would be fine

Rio let them fuss over Grace for a period of tihthearted banter by announcing that they were pulling out

The men immediately becamer all business

"What’s the plan?" Terrence asked

Rio stood over the stove eyeing his tea close It’s a gut feeling and I don’t want to take any chances My ive Grace tie Titan There are soes This our home turf We know the lay of the land But we don’t have the manpower necessary, and if Sa in here, if Titan didn’t already knohere ere, they sure as hell would at that point"