“Fucking perfect,” he groaned, his rhythm faltering. “My perfect, beautiful warrior.”
He followed moments later with a groan. I felt him pulse inside me, felt the way his whole body shuddered with release, and something primal and possessive unfurled in my chest.
This man was mine.
We stayed like that for a long moment, hearts racing, breath mingling, our bodies still joined.
“I see you, Faith,” he said softly. “The real you. And she’s perfect.”
Tears burned my eyes.
He rolled us so I was draped across his chest, his arms banded around me like he was afraid I might drift away. I listened to the steady thrum of his heartbeat, felt the rise and fall of his breathing, and something inside me that had been clenched tight for as long as I could remember finally, finally relaxed.
“What happens now?” I whispered into the darkness.
“Now?” His hand stroked down my spine, mapping each vertebra like he was memorizing me. “We fight.”
“And if we don’t win?”
“Not an option.” His voice went hard, protective. “I found you, Faith. After thirty-five years of searching for something I couldn’t even name, I found you. I’ll burn down hell itself before I let anything take you from me.”
The ferocity in his voice should have scared me. Instead, it made me feel safe. Protected. Chosen.
I pressed a kiss to his chest, right over his heart, and as we lay there, I realized something:This is what it feels like to finally, truly be seen. And accepted.
I could only hope it wouldn’t all be ripped from both of us …
55
RYKER
SINNERS AND SAINTS GROUP CHAT
Me: I need all of you to meet me at my office. Now. 911.
Axel: Hold on. YOU don’t 911. You schedule emergencies three weeks in advance with calendar invites.
Blake: What happened?
Me: I’ll explain when I see you.
Axel: Oh good, ominous AND cryptic. My two favorite flavors.
Blake: Is Faith okay?
Me: She’s … fine. For now.
Axel: “Fine for now” is not reassuring, Counselor.
Blake: Ryker, talk to me. What’s going on with my sister?
Me: We have a problem. A massive one.
Axel: Define “massive.” Like “forgot to pay a parking ticket” massive or “accidentally started a gang war” massive? Because I need to know what level of panic I should be at.
Me: The level where I need all of you. Everything you’ve got. We need to pull off a miracle, and we need to do it fast.
Jace: On my way. Twenty minutes.
