Her free hand went to his cheek, turning his face toward her. His eyes glowed faintly green in the candlelight.
“Then stop fighting,” she said.
“I can’t. If I lose control?—”
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know that.” His voice was an agonized whisper.
“I do know that. I know you and I know Hyde. He’s never touched me with anything but gentleness. I know that you’ve never hurt anyone despite being terrified of yourself. I know that you care too much to ever truly be dangerous to the people you love.”
“Love.” The word came out strangled.
Her pulse thundered in her veins. It was probably too much, too soon, but it was true.
“Yes,” she said simply. “Love.”
His eyes blazed brighter. “Chloe?—”
She kissed him. She leaned forward awkwardly around her belly and pressed her lips to his in a soft, tentative kiss. He froze for a heartbeat.
And then he kissed her back.
CHAPTER 20
Kissing Chloe tasted like coming home.
Victor had told himself he could resist. He’d convinced himself that being near her without touching her was possible if he just maintained enough control, but one touch of her lips shattered that lie completely. His hand came up to cup her face, his fingers trembling. She was so warm and alive. Everything in him—human and Hyde both—sang at the contact.
Mine.
The thought came from both halves of himself, unified for once.
Ours.
She made a soft little sound against his mouth and his control slipped even further. He should pull back. Should explain that he’d only come to check on her, not to complicate things further. But she was leaning into him, one hand fisted in his borrowed flannel shirt, and pulling away felt impossible.
“Chloe.” Her name came out roughly when they broke for air. “I can’t—we shouldn’t?—”
“Why not?”
The simple question stopped him cold.
Why not? His mind supplied a dozen reasons. His lack of control. The danger. The fact that he’d already hurt her once by leaving.
But sitting here in candlelight with her hand over his heart, all those reasons felt hollow and distant.
“I’m afraid,” he admitted, the words scraped out. “Every time I touch you, Hyde gets stronger. What if I can’t maintain control?”
Her thumb stroked across his knuckles. “Have you hurt me yet?”
“No, but?—”
“Have you hurt anyone? Ever?”
His jaw clenched. “My father did. Lost control completely and terrorized my mother for years before she finally left.”
“You’re not your father.”
