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I’m in his arms and he presses me into his chest. I don’t know if it is to keep me from slapping him, or to help keep him from falling to his knees, but I feel like he needs the connection.
“Desperation. I was willing to give up my one path to happiness if it meant saving lives. Maddox’s death drove me over the edge with this war going on between the Accandis and my crew. I let grief cloud my judgment and I will pay for my misstep every day I live.”
My breath hitches, and my heart forgets it has one job.
“Can you ever forgive me? I was so desperate to stop people from dying and willing to sacrifice my happiness that I forgot somehow about yours.”
“That’s pretty fucking selfish of you.” I don’t feel angry anymore, just heartbroken.
I push him back and when we lock eyes tears are streaming down his face. “I love you more than life and if you can find it in your heart to give me a second chance, Lili, I will spend every hour of every day proving how much I love and treasure you. I’ll give my life for you. All you have to do is ask.”
The back of his knuckles are rough against my cheek. I lean into his touch, but that doesn’t mean I’m backing down.
“Love isn’t something you can just confess and think all is okay.”
“What do you want from me? I’ll give you everything I have. I’m not fool enough to think it is money or power. Those were your mother’s weaknesses. You’re stronger than simply wanting material things.”
He steps back and drops to his knees. “Tell me, Lili. I’m yours to command. Either drain the veins of my blood or tell me you can love me. I either need to die now or know I have something to live for.”
Harsh breaths break free from my chest. My legs are shaking along with every other body part when I slip off the countertop.
“On my last breath, I promise to protect and love you until the end of my days.”
I believe him.
His words are powerful. They reach into my chest, wrap around my heart and give me so much hope that the hurt his actions caused no longer feel like they will rob me of a lifetime of happiness. His actions in the coming years will need to match his words, but that will take time.
Right now, I fall to the floor in front of him and wrap my arms around his neck. Strong, warm arms wrap around me and we stay like that until both of our ragged breathing calms.
Dark brown meets light green. I pull back a fraction more and he moves to take one of my hands in his. He brings it to his lips. Small kisses send jolts of electricity to parts of me that have been numb all day.
“I don’t have all the answers, Bastian, but I want to try. I’m a year out from getting my law degree. I have to finish that. But this, what we have, has a chance. I can give you that. Will you take it?”
A light of hope flashes across his face. It’s buried under decades of pain, angst and loneliness, but I see it. And I am responsible for making the man under the hard mafia mask step forward from the darkness and into the light. My love—our love—is giving him hope. I could tear him down and ruin him or I can give our love a chance.
“I like the idea of putting love into the world, daddy. Let’s add more to it.”
I physically watch my step-father’s chest expand and his eyes flicker with dark intentions. Goosebumps erupt over my skin from the guttural rumble in his chest.
He anchors a hand on my neck, and we press our foreheads together. “I dedicate every fucking breath I take from now until the day I die to your willingness to love me. Without you I would be a shell.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, Bastian Irons. Don’t you dare break my heart.”
“Never again. But I will make you scream, Lili Irons. And make you beg so sweetly.”
He moves fast, plucks me off the floor and takes us deeper into the apartment. Everything is a blur of movement. I’ll have to take a tour later. And from the hungry growls Bastian is giving out, it will be much, much later.
Four long strides take us out of the kitchen. A few more steps and Bastian has me flat on my back. The room is large with lavender walls and the king-sized bed in the middle of the room is heavenly. So is the pretty snow white duvet.
“I can’t wait for you to see the rest of the place.” He rips his shirt off and I finally get an unobstructed view of all his ink. Vines, roses, guns, blood and…
“Is that my name on your chest?”
His grin is pure wickedness. “It is. I got it a few weeks ago.”
White lilies wrap around my name inked into his tanned skin in a beautiful thick gothic lettering.
He falls over me and his lips are tender compared to the punishing kisses we’ve shared until this moment. The scrape of his stubble against my chin is divine and I can’t wait to feel it between my thighs again.
