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“I mean you’re going to compare me to the piece of shit that hurt you even when you don’t mean to. You aren’t going to believe me when I tell you I’d never let you down.”
“Malik…” With furrowed brows I turned around until my chest was pressed to his and looked up, shoving my messy hair out of my face. “How can you be okay with that?”
“He was before me, the bad shit. I’m confident one day it won’t matter because I am your forever. The good shit.”
I could tell he fully believed what he was saying, which in turn made me believe in him. “So you’re serious? Even with all my issues you want…um.”
“You,” he finished, taking this opportunity to grab a handful of ass. “Did I not make myself clear twice now? You’re already mine. I think you’ve been mine since I saw you through the bushes.”
“Like a rebound?” I checked, ignoring that last creeper confession.
“What the fuck? No, you could never be a rebound. Why is it so hard for you to…” he shook his head and expelled a deep breath. “My words won’t mean shit to you, but I can show you in a million ways why you and I are going be legendary together—vicious, chaotic gods.”
I stared at his chest and strummed my fingers against his bicep. Those words alone made me want to see this through till the very end. My pesky demons were at rapt attention, screaming at me to let them play with his.
But, was Maliki Erebus worth the risk?
A question I never seriously considered until this moment. Everything with him was so intense. I was always on my toes and wondering what he’d do next. In a way I liked that.
He made me feel strong when I was by his side and weak when I was underneath him. His loyalty to his family was unquestionable. It didn’t hurt that he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen and knew exactly how to make me feel at peace.
He was that lethal cocktail I’d once referred to, something easy to get addicted to. He wouldn’t just break my heart, he’d shatter me into dust and watch as I got swept away into nothing.
So was he worth it?
Yes, I think he was.
“I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I think we both know you weren’t going to let me object.”
“I knew you were brilliant. Now that we’re on the same page, don’t be afraid to fall in love with me.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped out of his embrace, washing the rest of the suds from my body. “Don’t push it.”
He laughed under his breath but I swore I heard him say, “It’s already too late.”
Once we were both squeaky clean we dressed in silence and he waited while I plaited my hair into a fishtail.
“So this meat farm,” I began, lacing up my boots, going back to our discussion of Stiles farm from before we got in the shower. “Do you guys know anything about it?”
“Nope, we’ve never been this far in yet. It being only forty-five minutes away though is telling.”
He took hold of my hand as we exited the room, and I took it upon myself to thread our fingers together. Just so bitches knew.
If he could right his full name in come across my stomach, then I could let people know this man was mine now. He didn’t outright react aside from tightening his grip, but I’m positive I saw his lips twitch.
The party that I had thought was in full swing seemed to be getting rowdier by the hour. By the time sundown came I was glad I’d be nowhere to be found.
Maliki kept firm hold of my hand, carrying our bags in his other, pulling me closer to him as we made our way down the back hall we had entered the building from. Exiting from the back, the SUV was idling and the last few things we needed were being freshly loaded.
Maliki handed our bags off to Greer and accepted a small black case from him in return. When his blue eyes fell to our intertwined hands a huge smile spread across his face. “Bout time you two stopped hiding.”
“The sounds coming from that room assured everyone they were done hiding,” Addy piped up, rounding around the front of the truck. She was freshly showered herself and looking a bit happier than earlier. “You will be spilling so many things to me when we get girl time.”
“Funny, I was just going to say that to you.”
“Do I also get to be included in this girl time? I’m an excellent amigo,” Greer joked.
“Get in the damn truck,” Zane barked, slamming down the back hatch. “Get in front, princess,” he added in a softer tone.
