Closer

We were inseparable from the moment we met, but it only took one night to destroy it all. Lies were spoken, truths were revealed, and mistakes were made.

For years, I took that anger out in the ring, but no matter how much time has passed, I still love to hate her... even when she storms back into my life almost a decade later.

But when I see the fear hiding behind her captivating brown eyes, I'll fight to make her safe again. Then I won't ever let her go.

CHAPTER 7

GIO

"Let go."

Shaking my head, I lower my voice. "I already did that once.Not doing it again."

"This was a mistake," she whispers, fear making her words run together. "I shouldn't have come back."

"You never should have left, Whitney. I shouldn't have let you leave."

Her watery eyes plead, and she licks her lips. "You need to let me go, Gio."

I slide my hands up from her arms to hold her face, wiping at her cheeks with my thumbs. Then I angle my head and kiss her. Gentle. Soft. And God, she tastes amazing, just like I remember but somehow better. And back then, it was the best, so for her to be even better is incredible. "Biggest regret of my life wasn't getting kicked out of the league, and it wasn't getting arrested; it was not going after you. And make no mistake, I learned my lesson. My life sucks without you."

"Did you just misquote Kelly Clarkson?"

"Unintentionally."

I can't believe I could even think about smiling right now,but I do... barely. "We still have some shit to work out, but we're going to work this out for good because I'm finally going to do what I should have done when I first saw you twelve years ago."

"What's that?"


"Make you mine."