He tilts his head. “That’s true. Though, I wouldn’t go to all that effort if I didn’t get to enjoy you after it.”
He cocks a wry smile, and I roll my eyes, dipping under his hold to grab the other weight.
I reach down to wrap my hands around it, throwing it over my shoulder. “Won’t you even consider letting me go with you? I’m not a liability, Saint.”
He’s already beside me, dropping onto the bench next to me. “No.”
His words come as a firm demand, one that sounds like I can’t work my way around it.
I exhale, abandoning the plate to stand between his knees.
“Please.” It comes out like a needy whine; I’m not letting this go.
I’ll wear him down eventually. Regina told me Dawson mentioned it was in two weeks’ time. I can work with that timeframe.
His eyes darken, his hands snaking behind my knees. “Now that’s something I like hearing from your mouth.”
My cheeks flare, despite the annoyance burning in me.
A frustrated groan wraps around his name, but his hands ghost the back of my thighs, making my heart flutter, and I force down a swallow.
“If you need me to stop—”
“No, no it’s not that.” I wade through the lust clogging my brain.
He sighs. “If you’re going to ask me again—”
“Shut the fuck up, Saint.” I slap my hand over his mouth.
I take a deep breath, my hand glued firmly against his lips so I can get the words out.
“We haven’t spoken about this, not properly. I know I broke your heart, Saint. I couldn’t stand the thought of you touching me, anyone being near me. Because I felt like damaged goods, broken. And I know that hurt you when I pushed you away.”
That little trickle of doubt inks through my mind. I really am getting too much in my head today. Though I manage to shove the words out of my mouth before I can restrain them.
“But you haven’t seen what I’ve become. I really can be a monster.”
He might be used to his own darkness, thinking he can handle mine.
Though mine has two shades.
One is tortured with the past, to the point it cripples me in agony.
The other splits me into something that I don’t even recognise.
He grips my hand, dragging it away from his face.
His voice drops low, the bass in it trickling shivers along every inch of my bare skin, and I stare at him in bewilderment.
“And do you know who I am?”
He presses soft kisses along my forearm as he watches me, whispering words that force my toes to curl.
“I’m the fucking devil, darling. And I’m ready to claim what’s mine.”
I don’t have time to react; he throws me over his shoulder, my shriek filling the gym as he walks us to the opposite end, sliding me down against the mirrored wall until I’m on my feet.
His lips latch onto my neck, licking, sucking and biting as I greedily work his belt, pulling it free.
