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"You can’t protect er!"

He droppedhis face

"There are things in this world that you can’t control or keep me from!"

"You think I don’t know that?" he yelled back "I’ve watched you disappear because of so I couldn’t protect you from! Why wouldn’t I try to protect you froh so e steps toward the stairs, then turned around to look atby his sides, palms up, his expression lost "That’s what I want to do, Grey, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, to be there for you when shit gets bad, to take as much of it as I can away from you so you won’t have to deal with it I have spentthat because I love you, and I will spend the rest of it doing the exact sa, I’ll tell you You of all people should know that by now!"

I openedto erase that look fro

"I’ i when I look at you You have no idea what I’ve watched happen to you since the vows ended up on your car!"

That startled h to make my mouth snap shut for a few ? I’er laughed harshly, but he sounded defeated "Greyare you serious?"

"I have no idea what you’re talking about!"

"I’uished tone hitting h to make me lose h your grieving for Ben and what’s happening now But you are slowly pushing me away more and more each day"

"I’ve never pushed you away"

He smiled weakly and nodded his head "No, you never diduntil now I’ve seen you five ti the day you found the vows and today Today is the longest I’ve spent with you There have been days when I come over and you won’t leave your room or look atover after work and you didn’t show and never called I had to call your mom to make sure you were even safe"

I stared at hi quickly "No, I--I don’t think" I trailed off, trying to remember other times we’d seen each other

"This is a hard ti me to watch you shut down and keep me out"

When I couldn’t respond, he turned and sloent down the stairs, and I just sat there listening to the echoes of his steps as he walked across the open space below I didn’the’d said and tried to re about I couldn’t, but I kneas right Because what I did remember fro about Ben

After crawling across the bed and standing up, I walked across the loft and down the stairs Before I could get to the hall leading to the back rooms, I saw my phone on one of the couches and walked over to pick it up After tapping out a quick ht, I turned the phone on silent and dropped it back onto the couch

Jagger was leaning against a wall in the main hallhen I turned the corner, his forear down to his chest His head snapped up when he heard htened to facea word, I reached out to grab one of his hands and turned to walk back the way I’d coo of his hand until ere next to the bed and didn’t say anything until ere both lying on it, facing each other

"I don’t want to shut you out," I whispered "I’ you, but you have to knoould never purposely hurt you It would kill er, and I swear to you that you aren’t losing round his jaw and wrapped one arm around my waist to pull me closer "Okay, Grey," he murmured as he pressed his lips to my forehead

"I’ve always loved how protective you are, and I’ that because of what you or I said earlier I love it; it’s co to keep me safe, and I’ainst you, and I’ht for oneainst his chest, and tried to fight back the tears stinging ot the hBut that doesn’t mean I’m confused about you, or us I love you and I want to be with you, and I need you to know that and not have any doubts Because when you look at er pressed hisoffI had into that kiss I needed him to kno much he meant to me, to see it when he looked at me and feel it in every kiss and touch we shared I had spent so long blindingfor anyone After having this--having Jagger--I couldn’t ever lose hio back to who I had been