Page 185 of The Fire We Make

“I wish you could see how beautiful you are to me.”

A slow smile spread his lips. “Come here,” he said, guiding her to the full length mirror in the corner of his room.

He turned her around so her back was to his chest. Behind her, his chin rested on her shoulder and his arms around her waist. Grounding her there with him.

He kissed the side of her face and down her neck, unconcerned with the splatters of blood decorating her skin.

“Look baby,” he whispered.

Joy’s breath caught when she looked up.

Blood streaked across her skin. Dried in places, smeared in others.

Her eyes were wild, and darker than she’d ever seen them.

Ace’s image behind her was similar to her own. They look like a thing of nightmares, only Ace’s eyes weren’t dark anymore. They shone with admiration as he looked down at Joy like she was sacred.

His lips brushed her cheek. “I love you Joy,” he said against her skin. He hadn’t thought about the words before he said them but once they were out, he realized they’d been sitting on his chest for weeks.

Joy stilled and her breath hitched.

One arm tightened around her waist while the other wandered up and down her body.

“I love you exactly like this,” he said. “That may not mean much coming from a nigga like me…”

His hand gripped her throat loosely, his thumb brushing the side of her neck. “...But I fucking love you.”

Joy’s breaths stuttered.

Her lips quivered as she turned in his embrace, pressing a kiss against his jaw.

Ace let out a quiet breath and gripped her tight like he didn’t plan on letting her go.

He kissed her forehead.

“I love you, Joy.”

Her cheek.

“I love you.”

Her temple.

“I love you.”

When he got to her lips, he kissed her slow and deep. Letting her feel rather than hear it.

With unhurried hands, Ace stripped her of her blood stained clothes. The fabric fell from her body and pooled at her feet.

“Look at you,” he murmured, eyes locked on her reflection in the mirror.

There was blood on her skin. A little madness still burning behind her eyes. Every ugly piece of herself she’d been taught to hide was reflected back at her beneath the soft bedroom lighting.

Still, Ace looked at her like she was sacred. His gaze moved over her like he couldn’t get enough.

He guided her closer to the mirror, one hand steady at her waist, the other pushing at the middle of her back, making her bend slightly.

Joy’s breath stuttered and pussy fluttered when he kicked her legs wider apart, knowing what came next. He guided himself into her then pulled her up with a light grip on her throat until they were skin to skin again.