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Peace steals over me, and while my lips are caressing hers, every bad thing that happened in my life, from my childhood until now, vanishes, until there’s only her. She is my destiny. Every bad thing that’s happened in my life has put me here, in her path.
Mackenzie illuminates me with her light, her smile and laughter giving me hope and joy, her kisses giving me peace. Holding her against my body fuels me with a deep-seated determination to get us the fuck out of here.
I’ll do anything, risk everything, for that to happen.
Our lips dance together in a perfect symphony as I change the angle of my head. I lick the seam, and they automatically part, allowing me entry. My tongue meets hers, the kiss changing from gentle to fierce and passionate as we press our bodies together, our hands joined between us.
I kiss her until I’m drowning at the bottom of the ocean and have no choice but to swim toward the surface and come up for air.
Leaning my forehead against hers, I inhale the pants she exhales and vice versa. Her lips are swollen from our kiss, a light pink blush heating her cheeks. Her amber eyes are still dancing with the desire she struggles to extinguish.
I bask in her emotions, relishing in this moment. Every ounce of fear and pain has been worth it to experience this moment with her. The way she looks at me, eyes brimming with emotion, lips parted from her heavy breathing, means everything to me.
“Angel. I chose the perfect nickname for you because that’s what you are. An ethereal beauty that shines in the darkness, bathing me in your light.” I’m transfixed by her, worshiping at her feet, words escaping my lips without conscious thought or effort.
A soft sigh comes from her lips as she tilts her head. “You’re incredible, Chase. You’re kind, gentle, compassionate, and genuine.” She shakes her head, awe in her eyes. “There’s such a deep connection between us. When we kissed, it felt stronger than ever.”
I gently squeeze her hands, overwhelmed by the chemistry swirling between us. “Angel. I?—”
She shakes her head, silencing me with a look. “I know you have feelings for me, Chase. I’ve known for a while. And while I’ve denied the existence of mine for far too long, that changes now. I want this. I want us. Damn the consequences.” She pauses, biting her lip. “Even in this hellhole, there’s nothing more that I want than you. Even my freedom is second to that.”
Her words are a kick in the ass and a knife through my heart. “You shouldn’t have to choose between your feelings and freedom.” The vows I make pour from someplace deep inside. My resolve is like a diamond—nearly indestructible— when I stare into her eyes and make this promise from the depths of my soul. “I’m getting us out of here. No matter what.”
The conviction in her eyes when she nods is like a burst of sunlight. “I have faith in you. Where you go, I go.”
32
CHASE
Ispent most of the night restlessly tossing and turning, awaiting Orpheus’s return. I had no doubt he’d be back. The look of anger and determination on his face before he left spoke volumes. He hated that we fought back and ruined his plans before he was interrupted by Daemon.
Orpheus isn’t the type of monster to let that go unpunished.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I know, I feel a pinch in my neck. My eyes fly open, but I can’t move my head because a large black hand with leather gloves is holding me. Liquid flows through my veins as my gaze locks on Orpheus’s painted face, his vile smile of victory making me feel sick as he empties the syringe into my neck.
Oh fuck. Kenz.
I feel her against me, curled against my side, her warm breaths feathering over my skin. Although I can’t be certain, something tells me he hasn’t drugged her tonight. Only me.
Orpheus doesn’t speak a word as I silently stare him down beneath the dim attic light, our eyes clashing together like a powerful sword fight. No matter what, I won’t give up. She’s too important to me.
He’s fighting for his sick beliefs, but I’m fighting for love. Mackenzie’s feelings shield me like armor and my protective instincts kick in like a knight with a sword, ready to do battle.
I don’t know what the hell he’s given me, but my limbs tingle before becoming numb. I try to use the element of surprise by kicking him. But all the force I muster in my legs falls flat when they barely move.
Orpheus sneers at me before wrapping shackles around my ankles. Sweat rolls down my back as I try to fight the effects of the drugs, willing my limbs to move as I summon every ounce of strength in my body. But it’s useless.
“I’m gonna show you pain, boy. It’s through that pain that you learn true strength.” His sinister smile sends a chill down my spine. “You’ve shown remarkable toughness up to this point.” He holds up his long, gloved index finger. “But will you break under the pressure or rise above it? Only time will tell.”
What the fuck does that mean?
The loud rumble of thunder booms in the distance. Immediately, my gaze settles on Mackenzie, intently watching for signs of a panic attack. The rise and fall of her chest beneath the wool blankets indicate her accelerated breathing. She’s aware of the impending storm, even in her sleep.
The drugs flow through my veins, making my limbs impossibly heavy, as I try to reach my bound hands out to grip hers. But they are as useless as my bound legs.
Lightning flashes, illuminating the darkness outside and brightening the attic, emphasizing the white upside-down cross on Orpheus’s face. Foreboding tingles over my skin, dancing with bursts of lightning in the sky as I struggle to figure out the game he’s playing.
The sounds of the approaching storm steadily increase, the lightning illuminating the wind picking up and rustling the trees, making them sway in the distance. The thunder cracks and Mackenzie whines in her sleep, her body twitching.
