Page 40 of Merciless King

She meant what she said. There was no missing the truth in her beautiful eyes. I was strong, had resisted her as best as I could for as long as I could, but I wasn’t that fucking strong.

“And right now, that good thing is me?” I said, voice wrecked, because I sure as fuck hadn’t been anyone’s good anything in my whole damn life.

I watched as London braced, like she was preparing for battle, but yeah, she’d already won. I was done fighting.

“I want to be with you while I’m here, until this is all over. I don’t want you to hold back, and I don’t want you to be noble. You don’t need to protect my feelings. I know what I want, and nothing will change my mind.” She licked her lips nervously, watching me, waiting for my answer.

I shrugged out of my jacket, tossing it aside. “We better make the most of the time we have, then,” I said and strode toward her.

London

He reached me and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the floor easily, big hands cupping my butt. “Wrap your legs around me.”

I did and my arms went around his neck.

He pressed his face against my throat, breathing me in. “Christ, woman, I want you.”

“Then have me,” I said breathlessly.

He lifted his head and grinned, and it was wicked and sexy as hell. He strode down the hall, carrying me to his bedroom, and using his boot, pushed the door open. He dropped me on the mattress and came down on top of me, covering me with his hard body.

His gaze moved over my face, to my hair spread out over his pillow.

“Fuck, I love your hair.” His gaze dropped. “Love this sexy mouth as well.” His lips came down on mine instantly, hungrily, and he kissed me hard and deep, not even trying to hold back his hunger for me.

It was perfect.

His hands went to the bottom of my shirt, his rough-skinned fingers brushing my belly before he tugged it up. He broke our kiss as he pulled it over my head and flung it aside. I hadn’t expected the swift move.

Van stilled, staring down at me.

Oh God. My hands automatically shot up, covering my exposed skin. I squeezed my eyes closed, waiting for the gasp, the sympathy, or worse, the horror and disgust.

I’d learned to live with the scars on my body, but I knew they’d be shocking to anyone else. Van made me forget. Being around him, wanting him, I’d actually forgotten that being with him meant him seeing the aftermath of my attack. Seeing the ugly scars that had been left behind.

I tried to get up. “Let me put my top back on.”

Van pinned me to the mattress with his body. “Look at me, London.”

I’d turned away, staring at the wall across from me.

“Look at me,” he said and gently took my chin, forcing me look up at him.

“Don’t,” I whispered.

“You’re beautiful. So fucking beautiful.”

“I know what they look like. They’re ugly.”

His expression turned fierce. “They’re not ugly to me.”

He kissed the one at the front of my shoulder and I flinched. I shook my head, but he did it again.

“There’s not one thing about you that isn’t beautiful to me. You may hate these scars, but I fucking love them, every single one.”

“What?”

“These are battle scars. Proof that you survived. You have no idea how glad I am that you did. None. So, yeah, to me they are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”