“Why are you here?” she managed to croak out. “How did you know?”

“I drove all day to get to you. I went to the house but you had already gone. I’m probably wanted in two states for breaking so many speed laws. I couldn’t stop until I was here with you. I didn’t want you to have to do this alone.”

Tears glittered in her vision, blurring him and the world around her. “I don’t understand.”

He swore softly and touched her cheek. “Lyric, I didn’t betray you. I know how it looks. I understand why you were so upset. But it wasn’t me. I love you. I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

His explanation muddled her brain. Could she have been so wrong? Who else could possibly have known? She took a tentative step back, a protective measure because, when he touched her, she forgot how to be angry. “Who, then?”

Connor glanced around and then rubbed his hands up and down her arms. He leaned back against the SUV she’d gotten out of and pulled her with him so that he looked down at her.

“Paul sold you out. He was pissed that you fired him. His threats weren’t empty. He went to the media and spilled his guts.”

Her eyes widened in shock—and hurt. “But how . . . ? Why? How did he know? How do you know? I don’t understand any of this.”

His chest ached at the pain in her gaze. “Gray, Nathan and Micah paid Paul a little visit. I’m sure they scared the shit out of him. The thing is, he’s known for a long time about your past. Back when you signed with him, he launched an extensive investigation into your background. According to him, it took a year, but he was able to uncover the truth. He kept it to himself—as insurance—and when you fired him, he sold his story for a hell of a lot of money

She frowned and sighed. “I guess I’m wrong about everybody. Clearly I have poor judgment when it comes to people.”

He touched her cheek. A light caress as his fingers stroked over her face. “You weren’t wrong to trust me, Lyric.”

Her eyes clouded and she blinked furiously, determined not to shed more tears. “But I didn’t trust you. How can you even stand to look at me after the awful things I said to you?”

He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Trust is something you have to work at, baby. We’ll get there. I plan on being around to make it happen. You suffered a horrible shock, and in your mind the only person it could have been was me. That hurt you and I’m so damn sorry. I would have done anything in the world to keep you from being hurt.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for dear life. She trembled against him and he held her close, his hands rubbing up and down her back.

“I love you, Lyric. I love you so damn much my teeth ache. I want us to be together.”

“I love you too,” she whispered.

He went still against her. His heart thudded wildly against her cheek. He gently pulled her away, cupped her chin and tilted her head until their gazes met. “Say that again,” he said huskily.

“I love you. I love you so much it scares me.”

He lowered his head and kissed her, his lips melting so sweet over hers. Just a warm brush, so gentle and loving that it made her ache.

When he drew away, his eyes were aglow with warmth and contentment, as if she’d given him what he most wanted in the world. It unsettled her that she had.

“We’ve got a lot to work on, baby. You’ve got a lot to deal with. I’m going to be with you all the way but you need to get help to deal with everything that’s happened to you. I want you to be healthy and happy for you first.”

She swallowed and nodded. He smiled and touched her nose.

“I want you to marry me eventually. I want it all, Lyric. You, me, together. But I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for you to come to me happy and whole. Healed. That won’t happen overnight, but I’ll be here when it does.”

Her pulse sped up. Adrenaline hummed through her veins, leaving her unsettled and excited. She wrinkled her nose and stared up at him. “I suppose this is where we talk about me quitting my job, marrying, settling down, popping out babies, getting a house with the picket fence and the whole shebang.” She took a deep breath. “I love my career. I know it doesn’t seem like it. I haven’t always had my head screwed on straight. I’m my own worst enemy. But I love singing. I don’t want to stop it.”

He gathered her close and stared down at her, his eyes so earnest, so focused on her.

“No, this is where we talk about the fact that I’m going to quit my job and follow you around on tour making sure you’re safe and that you take care of yourself the way you should. Babies and the picket fence are purely optional.”

“Oh, my,” she breathed. “You aren’t real. You can’t be real.”

“I’m real. I’m the man who loves you more than anyone else will ever love you. I’m the man who wants to be with you and will do everything I can to keep you from ever being hurt again.”

A tear trickled down her cheek and she sniffled. “Damn it. You’re going to make me cry again.”

He held out his hands and she slid her palms over his, lacing their fingers together.

“Why don’t we get out of here,” he suggested. “Let’s go on down the road. Find a hotel where we can sleep for about twenty-four hours. Right after I make love you to for about six.”

She squeezed his hands and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you, Connor Malone. I never thought I’d love someone the way I love you. I never dreamed someone would love me the way you do.”

He smiled and pressed his forehead to hers. “The funny thing about dreams is that every now and then they come true.”

CHAPTER 33

“I can’t wait to see everyone,” Lyric said as Connor bundled her into the waiting limo.

Connor smiled as he slid in beside her. He reached over, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Have I told you how gorgeous you look?”

She flushed and ducked her head. No matter how often he told her how beautiful she was, she never got used to hearing it spoken with such conviction. He truly meant it.

The thing was, she was still a size twelve. Closer to a fourteen now. And Connor didn’t give a shit. He couldn’t keep his eyes or hands off her, a fact she delighted in.

“I haven’t seen Nia since she was born. I bet she’s half-grown by now,” Lyric said with an unhappy frown. “I miss everyone. We need to get home to see them more often.”

Connor chuckled. “If you weren’t wildly successful and so in demand that tour dates keep being added, you’d have more time to go home.”

She burrowed into his chest and sighed her contentment as the limo left the Houston airport. Home. It was kind of weird to consider a place home, but Houston had become that for her.

It was where Connor’s family and friends lived. Family and friends that had become hers. Connor didn’t know it yet, but she planned to surprise him with the house she’d bought not far from where his dad and sister and brother-in-law lived.

Though they weren’t married yet, she and Connor were inseparable. At first she’d worried that he’d been so willing to quit his job and travel with her—working with Kane and his team for her. What if he got bored, tired or regretted his decision to leave his life and career? For her.

It was humbling and awe inspiring. Never before had anyone been willing to sacrifice so much for her.

She loved him like she’d never imagined being able to love another person.

Her cell rang, and she reached into her purse, grinning when she saw that it was Faith.

“Where are you?” Faith asked when Lyric said hello.

She smiled over at Connor. “We’re in the car now. Should be there in twenty minutes.”

Faith’s squeal of delight made Lyric warm all over. In excited tones, Faith relayed the news to the other girls and a chorus of cheers greeted Lyric through the phone.