His entire body locks up, when he speaks next his voice is a lethal whisper. “Sokolov could put a bullet in my skull tomorrow and I still wouldn't trade one fuckin’ second of havin’ you in my life.” He lifts his hand as if to reach out to me but stops himself. “You think I give a shit about the money? About the contract? Wildflower, I would burn every last cent just to see you smile again.” He takes a last step, not crowding me just present. When he speaks it's rougher, like gravel. “That day in the storm, when we met. It's like I was wanderin’ around in the dark and you were the first fuckin’ star that could make it through the clouds. I don't do labels either. I don't do feelings. But I will be goddamned if you think you’re worth less than the breath in my fuckin’ lungs.”
All I can do is stare at him. I'm pissed he didn't tell me he had a contract for Sokolov. I asked him over and over what's in it for him to help me. How can I trust this is real when he's had an agenda the whole time? But the words he says steal my breath away. I'm reeling. What reason does he have to lie now? I want to believe him. Gods, do I want to.
“I'm not bait?” I ask quietly.
“Never.” He caresses my cheek, his thumb trailing gently over my skin. “You were the reason I stopped givin’ a shit about the bounty. I could have grabbed him and left a long time ago. But the second I saw you in that shower? Sokolov stopped bein’ a paycheck and started bein’ the bastard that had to die for ever layin’ a hand on what's mine.” He searches my face for a moment. “Tell me you believe me.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. “I believe you. I'm scared. But I believe you.”
He pulls me to him so suddenly, so tightly, that my feet barely touch the ground. “Good,” he mutters into my hair. “Because I don't know how to be anything but yours anymore.” He doesn't let go. He holds on like he's worried I might vanish ifhe does. “We're goin’ home and I swear to God if you try to take off again, I will tie you to the damn bed.”
I snort, “You never know, I might like that.”
His arms tighten around me for a half a second before he chuckles. “Careful, Seriph.” His lips brush the shell of my ear. “You keep talkin’ like that and we won't make it home.” He leads me to the jeep. “Let's get out of here.”
“What? I might be into that too.”
“Fuck. Me.” He makes a sound that's part groan, part growl before spinning me around so fast my back hits the passenger side door. “You're tryin’ to kill me. That's the only explanation.” His mouth crashes down onto mine. Devouring me before he pulls away, his words come out ragged. “Get in the goddamn jeep before I forget we're in public and we both end up with indecency charges.”
He yanks open my door and all but lifts me into the seat, buckling me in with startling precision. I can't help but giggle at his impatience.
“Fuck,” he mutters.
He slams my door and stalks to the driver's side. The engine roars to life and all that barely leashed energy translates into speed as he peels out of the parking lot. His free hand finds my thigh like always, heavy, grounding, and safe.
~ Griffin Colson ~
I SHOULD HAVE TOLDSeriph sooner. I know she doesn’t believe I want her. It pisses me off that she could think that she's anything less than fucking gorgeous. She's going to find any reason to prove this isn’t real. Has been since the start. Pushing me away, putting up walls, and I handed her another reason to doubt me.
I'm trying to figure out how to convince her I mean everything I said. But I can't get the image of her tied to the fucking bed out of my head. I've been rock hard ever since she said she might be into it. My grip tightens on the steering wheel and I almost don't hear her speak.
“I'm sorry.” Her voice is barely audible.
“For what?” I glance at her, my thumb tracing idle circles on her thigh.
“You've been struggling to get me to believe your feelings for me are real since the beginning. If you had told me before, I never would have,” she admits.
The relief I feel is instantaneous. My shoulders relax. “That doesn't change the fact that I should've told you anyway. Youdeserved to know. I just didn't want to give you another reason to run.”
“I get that. I do,” she says. “But to get it out of the way. Are there any other secrets I should know about?”
Fuck. Yes. I had Jax run your entire background the day after we met. I know more about you than your closest friends. I plan to ruin your exes lives, maybe maim them in the process. I take illegal contracts more than I do legal ones. I don't mind brutally torturing anyone who's hurt you. But I don't say any of that.
My shoulders tense up again and I keep my voice steady. “You want them all or only the juicy ones?” I joke, then seriously, “If you really want to go down this rabbit hole, we can. I'll tell you everything. But I want you to think about what that means. Because knowin’ all the shitty parts is a double edged sword.”
By the time I park us in front of Moonglow, she’s still thinking. I get out, walk around, opening the door for her. Once she's out, my hands cup her cheeks.
“You're quiet.” I search her face for any sign of what she’s decided. “Let me ask you this, will you trust me if I promise you one thing?”
“What?” Her brow creases.
I smooth it out with my thumb. “That no matter what I haven't told you, no matter what shadows are lurkin’ in my past, everything I do from here on out is to keep you safe. To make sure you wake up every goddamn mornin’ knowin’ someone lives just to see you smile.” I tip her chin up. “That enough for now?”
“For now...” She finally smiles.
I swear my knees almost buckle from relief. “Good.” I lean in the jeep, grab her bag and then take her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. “C’mon, let's go inside.”
The second the door slides shut behind us, I lock it. After punching in the code on the alarm system, I turn to her. Palmingthe back of her thighs, I lift her onto the edge of the counter. I slot in between her legs, ignoring her little squeal of protest. I push her dress up while pressing my lips to her throat.
