My heart races in realisation it’s that emotion.
I steady myself mentally, then slowly tilt my head, dragging the moment out. “Maybe… Eventually… But two is a good start.”
He nods. “Who do you want—”
“Who do you want it to be, Kane?” I cut him off, narrowing my eyes with a coy smile.
For a moment, I think he might deflect like usual. He’s already met his quota of raw honesty and vulnerability for today, time for Kane to return—
“Me. I want it to be me.” I can’t look away from the storm of need filling those dark eyes.
Eyes I’d once called soulless, now they’re kindling with grey.
“Please,” he murmurs, gaze unwavering. “I want you to choose me.”
His words are so simple, but they hit hard, straight to that ache.
I swallow. He’s being completely honest, raw—just like I asked.
“You’re making my whole ‘make them suffer’ plan really hard when you speak like that,” I mutter, avoiding his eyes, trying to mask the way something warm and dangerous curls deep.
He leans in, just a little more, giving me just enough space to flee.
“I’ll do anything to fix my mistakes,” he says, voice a low rumble. “To make this right.”
I should tell him to stop, lean away. Scoff.
But I don’t.
Because his voice has that deep, steady pull that makes my legs feel unsteady, that makes me want to fall into him. It’s so damn hard to hold on to my resolve—
A sliver of darkness brushes my skin, cool and teasing, lifting my chin, but it isn’t his power.
It’s him.
His fingers brush along my jaw, drawing me back to him, forcing me to look into those damn eyes.
“That’s…” My voice catches. I swallow, try again. “That’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair, Jasmine,” he murmurs, and that voice. Goddesses, that voice. A deadly, wicked, sinful tease. “But I can show you how good unfair can feel.”
I blink. Stare.
What?
My mind stalls. I can’t process those words, or how boldly and shamelessly he delivered them.
It’s so wrong. So perfectly, deliberately wrong.
“Did you…” My voice is barely a breath. “Did you just say that?”
“I did,” he says simply. Calm, unrepentant. “And I mean it.”
Then his gaze drops.
To my lips.
And it stays there.
