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“Fuck, darlin’, I’m coming.” His forehead falls forward onto my shoulders, his massive torso tensing and jerking as he roars his release. “Fuck, fuck, Delilah.”
Cole collapses onto me, burying his face in my neck. As he pulls me into his arms and softens inside of me, I feel his entire body shudder.
It feels life changing.
It feels like I’ll never be alone again.
Lifting me off the bed, Cole carries me to the shower. We fuck again, this time slow and savoring. Cole soaps me all over my breasts, my thighs like he can personally take away the stain of today. But what he doesn’t know is there is no stain. Not anymore. Not with him.
After rinsing me off, he wraps me in a fluffy white towel, a gentle, sweet motion that has me smiling.
Afterward, we slip into bed, tangled in sheets. With my leg thrown over his hip, Cole holds me in his arms, running a calloused palm over my thigh. I brush strands of dark hair away from his brow, stare into his eyes.
“How do you feel?” His voice is gruff as his dark, concerned gaze crawls over me.
I open my mouth to say I’m okay, when a rush of emotion overwhelms me. It’s not just the blood and the kidnapping. It’s Belle. She betrayed me. She betrayed her girls at the Velvet Belles, my friends, Melly. It’s almost too much to take.
“I feel stupid.” A tear slips down my cheek. “I was an idiot about Belle.”
“Don’t you do that, darlin’.” His words are rough, decimating. “Don’t you ever fucking blame yourself.”
“She was like a mother to me.” A ragged breath drags from my chest. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it…why…” The room pulses with my sobs as I let it all out. “Why would she do this?”
“Don’t cry over her. She doesn’t deserve your tears.” Cole runs his fingers through my hair and holds me until my sobs quiet. Then, deep voice rumbling, he says, “You are everything kind and good, Delilah. Don’t let her take that from you. Trust.”
“I don’t trust anyone anymore.” My eyes lock on his. “Except you.”
Cole looks like he wants to warn me away from him. But it’d be a losing battle. Especially after today. I’m sure I should care more than I do about what happened. Cole killed a man for me. He’s ruthless. But I’ve never felt safer. I see his demons, his grief, his bad habits, but I still see him too.
I run my hand over the scar on his palm. “Who’s this for? You all have one. Except Wells.”
“It’s for Wells.” His mouth tilts toward my brow, the rumble of his deep voice a soothing caress. “We tracked down his foster father and shot him.” My heart skips a beat at his bluntness.
“What did you do with him?”
His hand runs up my leg. “We buried him in the Pit.”
“The Pit?”
“It’s an abandoned mine shaft behind the ranch. It’s not on any maps. No one will ever find it. And it’s where we’ll put that motherfucker who tried to take you from me.” Cole rests his eyes on mine. “I shouldn’t tell you all this.”
My heart lurches. “But you are.” I study his intense, rugged face. “Why?”
He doesn’t answer for a long second. “Maybe I want you to know what you’re getting into.”
I lick my lips. “What am I getting into?”
He grips me closer, his palm splaying low on my back. “My bed. My ranch. My entire fucking soul, Delilah.”
My eyes widen in realization.
I want him to say more. I also dread it. “Cole…”
He leans down, our lips fitting impeccably, our hearts thrumming in sync. His tongue traces mine, our breaths loud and fitful.
When we finally pull apart, Cole kisses my brow and wraps me in his muscular arms.
It’s different. Everything feels different. Especially us. Especially after this day. That’s when it all comes back to me. What’s happened. What we’ve done. An overload of emotions that brings tears to my eyes.
