This entire fucked-up world needs to bow down to her because this woman went through it and somehow came out clean.
“You’re an ass. You know that, right?”
Her jaw gapes open. Hangs for a second. Snaps shut. “Pardon me?”
“You heard me. You’re an asshole. My arms?Thesearms? They’ve always been open for you, but you didn’t trust me to prove that to you. No. You made a decision for both of us and cost us eight fucking years.”
Jamie clenches that stubborn jaw and stares at the grass for a long while, her breathing erratic. If she sheds one tear—even one damn tear—I swear, I’m done. Thank God she doesn’t. When she looks up at me, her eyes may be dry, but the raw emotion in them cut me just as deeply.
“I’m sorry.”
I pull her into my arms. Yeah, the same arms she didn’t think would welcome her. She’s shaking, and I kiss the top of her head. “No apologies, runt. But you should have trusted me. Trustedus.”
I’m not some twisted sonofabitch who’s going to crucify her now that I know why she stayed away. I mean, hell, I get it now. I might not have before my time in Gomorrah, but I understand her reasoning now.
Unworthy. Disgusting.Ruined.
Yeah, I fucking understand exactly how it feels because that’s how I see myself.
Jamie snakes her arms around my waist. “There were times I wanted to come back so badly, Wraith. I missed you more than you can ever know.”
See? She can’t say shit like that. Hits me in places I can’t handle being hit right now.
Jamie’s the only woman I’ve cared about besides my mother. It’s like Fate put her in my path the day Kyle McCarter groped her. Every woman I’ve been with since the day I met her was nothing but a placeholder. It was always her body I touched when my hands were on someone else. Her body I fucked, and her mouth I kissed.
I kiss the tip of her nose. “This is always where you’ve always belonged.”
She cups my face, and her tiny hands are so warm against my cheeks—which are finally freshly shaven with a clean, new razors—because it’s all about life’s small luxuries. “What are we going to do, Wraith?”
“We’re going to use the footage you took from Crane to rip his world apart brick by fucking brick.” I wrap my hands around her wrists. “But first, I’m going to make you remember what it means to be Mayhem born.”
It’s a promise and a threat.
A warning of exquisite pleasure and the sweetest pain she’ll ever crave.
And maybe, once Crane’s dead and I’ve torn his world apart, I can find peace somewhere buried beneath the rubble. Because if I can’t, I’m afraid the monster that hitched a ride out of Gomorrah will come out to play. If that happens, I might not be able to lock it back inside its cage, and it’ll destroy everything in its path—including Jamie.
She lets out a husky gasp when I grab her ass and lift her, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist. God, she’s so light, she might as well weigh nothing. Some hearty meals and few infamous Unholy barbecues will put meat on her bones for sure.
I carry her through the house, ignoring Jester, who’s in the living room cursing into a headset while playing the latestCall of Duty. I take her up to the bedroom, and when I toss her on the bed, she tries to shimmy off.Yeah, no.I’m not having any of her bullshit.
“According to Crow, I’m on bed rest.”
Her brows slam into a frown. “Okay, so rest.”
“No fun if I’m alone.”
She jerks a chin toward the television. “So, let’s watch a movie.”
I grab her ankles and drag her to the foot of the mattress. “I’d rather eat your pussy.”
“Oh my God, Wraith, no.”
I mimic her shocked gasp. “Oh my God, Jamie, yes.”
Before she can stop me, I’ve already got her panties off. But she’s quick, and she’s determined. But I’m faster and more persistent.
“You can’t.”
