“No, let me finish. I know you’ve never been around a man like me, never rubbed elbows with someone who’s done the things I’ve done. So you don’t understand exactly what it means to a man like me when I say I keep what is mine, but for a man like me, love, loyalty, sweetness, all that is something I don’t take for granted. I don’t just say words to say them.” He takes my hands in his and drops to his knees. “I know what your father did to you.”
I gasp and try to pull my hands away.
“Don’t…don’t pull away from me, baby. I had to know. I had to find out what put that sad look in your eyes. At first, I thought it was a man who broke your heart, but it quickly became apparent that wasn’t the case.”
“Qu…quickly became apparent? You mean…”
He nods. “The day I kissed you, that was your first kiss. I was your first kiss. Wasn’t I, baby?”
I nod for him.
“I had to find out who hurt you. I had to find out…if I needed to handle anything for you.”
Does he mean…?
“You…you didn’t…my father…?”
“Of course not. I’m not happy about a grown ass man acting like a spoiled toddler, but I would never put you through the pain of having him killed.”
“How…was he? When you saw him, how was he?”
“Let’s just say I didn’t have to do anything to hurt the guy.” I look at him, the question clearly on my face. “He’s doing all that on his own by letting her ruin him.”
My shoulders slump at the news. It’s not unexpected but still…I wouldn’t wish bad things for my father either. Even if he did kick me out over someone’s lie.
“I also talked to your lit teacher, who can’t wait for you to come back…if you want to. I told her I would tell you hi when wetalked about it. I always meant to tell you, I just…wanted you to be in love with me when I did.”
“What?”
“I wanted you to be in love with me when I came clean with you. I was going to tell you. About everything. The visit to your father and the school, the security team I put on you so I could breathe when we weren’t together, me sitting outside your apartment because I couldn’t be too far from you without feeling like my heart was about to burst out of my chest and run straight to you…who I really am. I just…wanted you to be in love with me when I did because I’m already in love with you and I can't lose you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Luka
She’s so beautiful sitting in front of me with a look of shock and wonder on her face. Her brown eyes twinkle and shine, reminding me of fireflies in forests and magic. Looking at her is like looking at the personification of Christmas and all the happy, warm feelings that go with it.
Her hands come up to rest on either side of my face, “I already love you.”
“You don’t have to say it back if you don’t feel it. You don’t have to…”
She places her finger over my mouth, stopping me, “I’ve been fighting a losing battle, telling myself not to love you, not to let myself feel anything for you… But I’ve been in love with you from the moment you opened the door and looked me up and down like you were trying to decide if I was real or not.”
“I’m going to have to give my sister the biggest gift to thank her for sending you to me, angel. And I still wouldn’t be able to thank her enough.”
Her beautiful face lights up as I wrap my arms around her and bring my mouth to hers. Our kiss is a lot like the one fromthis morning -passionate, needy, and sexy as hell. My angel might not have known how to kiss before me, but she is one hell of a quick learner. And just as caught in the web we’ve made for each other as I am.
Her legs come around me as she presses herself against me. I grab her ass with both hands and help her move even closer. Soon, it’s not enough, and both of us are reaching for something more, something physical and real. I come to my feet and pull her from the bed just long enough to pick her up and spin her, so she is sitting on my lap, and I am sitting on the bed now. Her beautiful legs spread around me as I help her slip the top of her dress down, so she is bare for me.
“Sweetheart,” the word comes out strangled and damn near a growl, “you weren’t wearing anything under this? All night?”
She pulls back to look at me with the most devilish grin. I have to start questioning the nickname I gave her because of that grin. Maybe she isn’t an angel after all, tempting me like this.
“It would have shown if I wore anything under it.”
“Holy fuck, baby!” I am a lucky fucking man!
I run my hands down her bare back and look my fill at the gorgeous globes I have set free. She’s the softest thing I have ever touched and exquisitely made to fill my hands and light up my dark heart.
