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"I knew you’d find me"

"I’ll always find you" He nuzzled her ear "I’ll always co after you Always"

Her shoulders started to shake, and the real tears started

Ronin pushed the table back and picked her up, cradling her to his chest and holding her tightly as she cried He rubbed his lips over the crown of her head, breathing her in, offering her his strength, his heart breaking that this strong, independent woman needed it

After the storm of tears subsided, she placed a soft kiss on his neck "Thank you Will you take me home? To my place?"

He shoved aside the reality that she didn’t consider his penthouse home "Sure Is your car here?"

"No I walked I needed the fresh air to try to clear my head"

He kept an arm around her shoulder as he led her outside Tiny flakes of snow had started to fall, and Amery hadn’t worn a coat He unzipped his leather jacket and stopped to put it on her After zipping it up to her chin, Ronin noticed she was crying again "What?"

"You take good care of me If no one else ever sees that or ever knows that but h I don’t want to explain it I don’t need to explain it or defend it because it belongs to us"

He framed her face with his hands "You andelse does"

She closed her eyes and curled in to hi place close to her building He unlocked her alley door with his key and followed her upstairs

Ain out of the cupboard and one glass

Ronin raised an eyebrow at her, as if to say, Don’t you think you’ve had enough to drink?

She poured and slid it across the countertop "For you"

He opened his mouth to protest and she shook her head "Trust er than ever "Aet warmer clothes on and then we’ll talk"

She swayed on the way to her bedroom

Ronin didn’t touch the booze He stopped in front of the living roo downed six drinks, he wasn’t confident they’d be doing h, when he went to check on her, she’d put on her pajamas and slipped into bed