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"It's not tomorrow yet," I growl, flinging open the door.
Only Emma isn't standing on the other side, Devil is. He looks worse than I feel. But somehow beautiful too. His dark hair hangs free. His green eyes are somber and dark beneath as if he hasn't been sleeping.
"Little one," he murmurs, staring at me like he always does…like he's starving for the sight of me. Like he'd look at me for the rest of his life and die happy if he could.
My heart rips itself into tiny pieces. I miss him so damn much.
"Hey," I whisper.
"Can we talk?"
I hold the door open, allowing him into my room. He steps past me, and I tremble, my body aching for his touch, his kiss. For him. I take a moment to close the door, trying to marshal my thoughts. Trying to get myself under control.
All my effort goes flying right out of the window when I turn around and see him in my space for the first time. He dominates the small room, overpowering it. Somehow, even in a sea of turquoise and pink, he looks dangerous and deadly. And so damn hot.
"Nice place," he says.
"It's a shithole," I say, the same thing he said about his cabin on the ranch.
He chuckles, looking at me over his shoulder. "Your definition of a shithole and mine are not the same, Jessie baby. This place suits you."
"Yours doesn't suit you." My bottom lip quivers. "At least not the cabin at the ranch."
"Come here."
I take a step back instead, putting space between us. "Is it over? Did you…did you finish your investigation?"
He grits his teeth, glancing away from me. "Working on it," he says. "I still need some time."
"How much time, Creed? A week? A month? A year?" I wrap my arms around me like that's going to hold me together. "How much time do I get before I have to give up half of my heart?"
He whips around to face me. "Is that what you think I'm asking you to do?"
"You don't have to ask," I whisper. "One way or another, that's what's going to happen. I lose you, or I lose Risk and the MC. That's my choice. That's my sacrifice."
Pain flares in his eyes, stealing my breath. Tears instantly well in my eyes and spill down my cheeks.
"Little one," he whispers.
"We can't do this anymore, Creed."
I hate myself. I hate this.
I love you. I love you. I'm sorry.
"I'll give it up, Jessie. Right now if that's what you want," he rasps, hellfire burning in his eyes. Burning him. "I'll walk away from all of it for you. Just say the words, baby."
"And I'm selfish enough to let you," I admit, choking on the words. "If it were just your job, I'd ask that of you because I'm selfish when it comes to you. But it's not just your job, Devil. It's actual lives. Innocent lives. You have to finish it."
"Even if it means losing you?"
"You're the guy who saves lives. That's who you are, Creed. I can't ask you to stop being him just because I want to keep you all to myself. Not when lives literally depend on you right now. You have to finish it for those women. You have to finish it for Risk and the Diamond Kings." Tears fall faster down my face. They choke me. And they burn. God, they burn. "What are two hearts compared to that?"
"Fuck," he growls, his eyes falling closed. When I choke on a tortured sob, they immediately spring open again, scorching with intensity. He's across the room in two steps, dragging me into his arms. His mouth closes over mine in a hard kiss.
For a split second, I resist. But I never can tell him no. I cling to him, kissing him back with everything in me, pouring my soul into him, and trying to drink a piece of his into me, too. If it's with me, then he is too. He'll still mine, and I won't be alone. I won't have to wake up tomorrow and know what it's like to have belonged to him once…but to no longer do so. He'll still be mine.
"We aren't over," he growls against my lips. "Not now, not tomorrow, not fucking-ever, Jessie baby. As soon as I'm finished with this shit, I'm coming for you, do you hear me? I'm putting my kid in your belly and my ring on your finger and anyone who tries to stop me will have hell to pay. You're mine, little one. I'm not ever letting you go."
"Creed," I sob.
"I'm going to find a way to make this right for you," he vows, pressing his lips to mine again. "I swear to you, you aren't going to lose a goddamn thing because of me." His forehead touches mine, his breath pelting my lips…and then he's gone.
