Unfaded Glory by Sara Arden

Author:Sara Arden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Published: 2014-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

BYRON HAWKINS WAS BUILT like a god with the mouth of some dark knight turned poet, Damara thought as they reached The Bullet Hole. The things he said, the things he made her feel, it was as if he turned every emotion to ash and then filled her back up again. Her heart ached for him as much as the rest of her did.

She didn’t think he realized how deeply he experienced things. The more he tried to shut them out, the more they cut into him. He was tragically beautiful, but not like a piece of art. He was real, he was flesh and he bled inside.

Damara was tempted to think if he’d just open up to her that she could help him shoulder his burdens. Yet, she wasn’t as altruistic as he believed or as she wanted to be. Some of her reasons were purely selfish—something a princess wasn’t supposed to be.

She couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t okay for her to want something or someone just for herself.

Except she knew why, and she knew why it couldn’t be Byron Hawkins. He wasn’t ready to be with anyone.

And that realization hurt, especially as she listened to the playful banter around her.

She shoved a doughnut in her mouth, hoping the sugary goodness could actually patch the wounds that had ripped themselves open.

“Are you going to taste it?” He eyed her.

No. They were the Better Than Sex doughnuts and those made her think about the night before, and right now she really had to focus on what she had to do for Castallegna.

Except at the moment, they were one and the same. She had to marry him for Castallegna. She had to put him and herself through this ruse for Castallegna.

She was glad they were going to a shooting range. She’d get to blow off some steam.

Her stomach did a little flip when she realized they were completely alone on the range.

He flashed her a grin. “Your safety is a matter of national security. I asked Renner to close it for the day and bring out some big boys for you to play with.”

If she’d ever thought she’d be allowed to go on a first date, this was what she’d want to do. She closed her eyes, trying not to be affected by the gesture.

“I just thought you’d need to know how to use some of the heavier weaponry. If the Bratva is running arms through Castallegna, this is probably what’s going to be available for you to use.” He gestured at the array of weapons before them. “You don’t look pleased.”

“It’s just, this is so kind. This is exactly the kind of gift I’d want, if you’d asked me.” She tried not to make too big a deal of it, but it was. It meant a lot to her.

“Good. Let’s blow shit up.”

He led her closer to the weapons. “This is an AK-12 Kalashnikov. It’s a carbine rifle. They’ve just recently been phased out of use, so those weapons had to go somewhere.

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