Our scents mix together and the aching in my heart that cannot be described finally sends me over the edge, and I let go.
I spill inside her, the beast in the me roaring at finally claiming her fully while pleasure spreads all over me, the sensual heat enveloping me whole and racking a tremor through me unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
Lavender is mine.
Darkness and all.
And in this moment, a man who thought he had no soul because he had to give it up in order to get justice for the wrongs done to him weeps.
For if I hadn’t had a soul…would someone like her want me?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“What happens to illusions?
They shatter in the most painful way.”
Levi
Lavender
“Lavender!” a woman exclaims, hugging me tight. “I can’t believe it’s you!” I muster up a smile, trying desperately to remember who she might be. “I’m sorry.” She steps back a little, her brown eyes shining in excitement as she grabs my elbow and starts dragging me toward the countless tables spread all over this spacious place. “I just didn’t expect to see you.”
“It was a last-minute decision,” I mutter, wondering what possessed me to open that damn invitation to our high school graduation ten-year reunion and accept it.
They had to postpone it for two years due to renovations at the school, so by divine intervention, I’m here to celebrate it all with them.
School was my haven, away from Jade and his sick mind, the only place where I could find peace and engage in theactivities that brought me joy, since the perv didn’t allow any extracurricular activities.
As soon as I stepped into the luxurious gym, since this is a private school founded by the richest of the rich, I felt so…strange and questioned my decision.
“I’m so glad! I always wondered what happened to you after that fire. I wanted to visit you at the hospital, but your uncle wouldn’t let me.” She wiggles her nose in distaste. “Your uncle was a dick, no offense.”
My lips twitch because only one person used to be so blunt in our class, and as a result got into a lot of trouble.
The captain of the cheerleading team and the most popular girl in school, who also happened to be the kindest among us all.
In other words, she was perfect all around.
Valerie.
“None taken. Thankfully, he’s dead.”
She blinks then laughs. “Oh my God. That’s why I always liked you.” We reach one of the biggest tables, and my eyes widen at the fifteen people who used to attend my English literature class.
We used to be really close. Our mutual dislike for the subject, where our teacher assigned endless projects and essays, bonded us like nothing else.
Everyone is a bit older. Some have changed drastically, some not at all, but they all smile at me and wave. “Lavender is here!”
I choose this moment to adjust my hair, hooking the strands behind my ear and opening up my scarred cheek to their gazes.
Now on most days I forget I even have them, unless someone stares at them. The reminder lasts as long as it takes for Levi to kiss them and wipe all the bad memories away, leaving me wanted and desired by him, where nightmares don’t exist.
Warmth spreads through me at the thought of my handsome and protective man, who’s been my constant for the past two weeks, ever since I discovered his true self.
After accepting all our differences, I spent the weekend with him, where he told me once again that in no way would I act as bait to catch Robert, but that danger would follow us wherever we went.
So his protective instincts multiplied tenfold.
