He wanted to find her and drag her back here, caveman style, and convince her to stay forever.īut he knew he couldn’t. He shrugged, feigning nonchalance, when really the thought of Lilly not having a place to live made his protective instincts roar to the surface.

Now she could be with someone normal, someone without all his damn baggage. He’d fucked up, and now he’d run out of time. He’d actually been lucky enough to find a woman who accepted him, flaws and all, and he couldn’t accept himself enough to be with her. Just hearing Lilly’s name made Nate’s world implode all over again. “She’s got to be out of her apartment in a week and still hasn’t found anything.” “You know who needs a place? Lilly,” he said. It wasn’t as if it had ever felt like a home. He knew he should just give in and get rid of the place. “Have you at least found someone to sublet the apartment?” Jace pushed out a breath and braced his hands on the sofa. Nate popped open another box and raised a brow. “You going to tell me where they’re sending you?” Closing up another piece of his civilian life. Rubbing his chest where it ached, he grabbed a roll of tape and sealed the kitchen box. She’s put herself out there and he’d crushed her. The last time he’d seen her, she’d looked so hurt. The worst part was the fear that he’d never see her smile again. She’d cut him off, and for every second of every day he was feeling the withdrawal. His brother tossed a stack of books into a box. I could have come over and helped with this.” Jace silently watched him pack for a moment before he picked up a box to help. The one person in the world he wanted to call never would. Nate didn’t even know where his phone was. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Jace glowered at him, then pushed past him to stalk into the now half-empty apartment. Nate dropped a stack of plastic cups into a box marked “KITCHEN” and opened the door. “Open the damn door before I kick it the hell down.” “Nate!” Jace called from the other side of Nate’s front door as he beat the shit out of it.

Tempted by the Soldier by Nicolette Day