I shake my head.
“And did it look like I was pretending when I laid awake in your bed counting your heartbeats after you were stabbed?”
“Celine—”
“How about when I couldn’t stay away from you even after you humiliated me? Or when everything was falling to pieces around me, and I still couldn’t cut you off?”
“The sex has always been?—”
“Don’t youdarereduce us to sex! If I want to get off, I will—I have ten fingers and more options than you can imagine, asshole. I don’t need you for that, I just need you!”
“You’re shouting at me.”
“No shit! I’m furious. I don’t care about this blood circle, although I’ve got a shit ton of questions. I care about you, and I’m not sure why you can’t grasp that.”
“I don’t care about you, angel.”
“Cool. Fucking awesome, Ali. Thanks for telling me.” She tries to retreat, but I grab her hands. “Too bad you decided to figure that out after we got locked up together.”
“I love you,” I say.
She freezes; her cheeks flushed with anger. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.” I drop my forehead to hers, ignoring our audience. “I love you, although those words aren’t nearly enough. You’re my light, my compass, my reason. Nothing has ever frightened me as much as you. I could die a million times, but if you walked away from me, death would be preferable.”
“That’s fucking toxic,” Celine says.
“Do you think I don’t know that?” I kiss her hard, devouring her gasp. “Tell me you love me too. Tell me, angel. Please. My heart is yours, and if you don’t take it, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Celine wraps her fingers around my throat. “Do you swear it?”
“Yes,” I groan. “I’ve loved you since you climbed into my lap to negotiate a deal to keep Casanell off your back.”
“You idiot,” she mutters. “Of course, I love you. No more secrets, you tell me everything or I’m out. I can’t look at you and wonder anymore.”
“I promise. Now push me around.”
She shoves me to the floor, then drops into my lap. “Mine,” she snaps.
“Yours,” I gasp. “Forever yours.”
“This conversation was long overdue,” Malach says. “Although, as far as conversations go, it was thin at best.”
Ciprian chuckles. “Should we turn around or something?”
“Both of you, shut up,” Luca grumbles. “My show is on.”
“Ignore them.” Celine nips my bottom lip harshly. “You’re going to bite me, then you’re going to explain the details of this blood circle.”
“Yes, angel.”
“Do it,” she demands.
“Where do you want me?”
“Anywhere. Everywhere. Quit stalling and?—”
I slide my fangs into her neck, tapping the vein that’s been taunting me since Malach forced this conversation.Shady fucker always thinks he knows best.He may be right this time, but I’d rather be fed whole to a monster than admit it to him.
