Page 66 of Marked By the Devil

I nodded. Setting my hands on the bed on either side of her thighs, I leaned in and drew a deep breath. “Now.”

“About what?” She winced. “Viktor, there’s so much to check out and verify.”

“About us.”

She sobered, frowning at me. “What?”

“Do you realize this was the first time that you were without me?” I asked.

“I…” She furrowed her brow again. “That’s not true.”

I gave her a skeptical look.

“You were with me. I knew you were nearby as backup. The comms unit had us connected the whole time.”

“Correct. But this was the first time I let you go.”

She licked her lips, seeming to struggle to see where I was going with this.

“And I felt like I could because you seem to have made your choice.”

Again, she merely watched me.

“I’ve been struggling to understand how deep your loyalties go, Wren.”

“For fuck’s sake.” She rolled her eyes. “They’re not with Smithson. They’re not with that agency!” She frowned. “I’ve been working with Elena and Trojan for weeks now. What else can I do to prove that I am working with you?”

“Because you still think you’re a captive?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Not… really. Because I care.”

“About…?”

She groaned. “About you. About your family. About taking down bad people. Maybe I’ve struggled with confronting how much my reality has changed, but it’s still the same drive. I want to make the world a better place. And if I can do that with your backing and as a member of your organization, then that’s how it’ll be.”

Finally.

You’re finally getting it.

“You can’t deny the proof that your agency is compromised.”

She huffed and gave me an expression that suggested no shit.

“And I want you to know and trust that we will never be compromised like that.” I closed the distance between us and kissed her hard. “That if you choose me, if you choose us, then you will never have to doubt that, Wren. If you can tell me that you will choose me and state your⁠—”

“Allegiance to your cock?” she joked.

I grinned as she kissed me.

“If you can stand with me…”

She kissed me again. Setting her hands on my face and then sliding them back until she looped her arms around my neck, she showed me with a kiss to end all kisses that she did.

She was choosing me, and she sealed it with the hungry seal of her mouth against mine.

“I choose you, Viktor.” She kissed me again, urging me to lower her down to the bed. “You can have my allegiance. To your dick. To you. To your family.”

Holding her in my arms, I rolled with it as she pushed for me to lie on my back.