“Daddy’s gonna take care of his baby girl.” He glances between us. “And this pussy.” His arms shake as he holds himself above me, his muscles burning beneath my palms as he keeps up his insatiable pace. “You’re mine to love.”
As the wordloveleaves his lips, an explosion of shimmering white light fills the room. Heat strikes my centre, causing tingles to fork off into every limb. My back arches, my breasts pushing against his chest.
Only Kane has ever made me come so hard I see stars. Only tonight it’s a galaxy lighting up my soul with all the love he has for me like a beacon of hope lighting up my world after the darkness.
Everything about our relationship is messed up. I shouldn’t want or love my family’s enemy, but I’m drawn to him like the moon chases the sun. He’s my guiding light, providing a sense of direction and hope in the darkest of times.
He slows his movements, peppering my face with kisses. I was so lost in my own rapture, I never noticed we came together.
My palm wipes the beads of moisture from his forehead. “You’re mine to take care of, too.” I press my lips to his, hoping he can feel the weight of my words and my forgiveness.
41
KANE
We hold each other on the rug in front of the fire. My knuckles graze her back as I stare at the dancing flames, willing this night to never end.
She lifts onto her elbow, looking between me and the lone gift under the tree. “You never opened your present.”
“You never opened yours.” I untangle myself from her, and reach over to unhook the small hanging gift from a branch on the tree and hand it to her.
Coloured lights dance in her eyes. She sits on the floor, crossed legged, naked, with Belle nudging her head under her palms for a stroke. I kneel in front of her.
Her fingers trail over my jaw, and she kisses my cheek. “I have a feeling this is going to outdo my shitty present.”
I pick up the big soft gift she left under the tree. “Don’t be so sure. I could do with a cushion.”
Her smile reaches her eyes, making them twinkle just like the lights. “It’s a jumper.”
“Whatever it is, I’ll love it.” I tear open the parcel and sure enough, it’s a black jumper.
“I thought your other one was looking tatty, and I love seeing you in black.”
“Come here, petal.” I lift her chin, bringing her to my lips. She hums against me. My tongue dives between the vibration, tasting the familiar flavour I can’t get enough of. Finishing with a peck, I stroke her cheek, my chest swelling with love for this girl. It takes every muscle in my body to hold back and not ravish her again how I need to.
She shivers despite the glow from the fire. I pull the jumper over her head and pull my jeans on. She still holds the gift, fingering the pretty bow.
“Open it.” I nod to the small box clasped in her hands. “It was your mothers. I thought you should have it.”
She unties the ribbon, then carefully peels the tape away, making sure she doesn’t tear the paper. A small black velvet box sits in her palm. When she opens the box, the ring glistens under the coloured twinkling lights that dance across her face.
“I didn’t know you and Mum were engaged.”
I take in a deep breath. “We weren’t. I came back from a tour with that ring in my pocket. I asked her to marry me. Even got down on one knee. She burst into tears. At first I thought they were happy tears, but she pushed my hand away saying she couldn’t marry me.” My palm runs down my face. I try to block that night out, but it always finds a way into my dreams.
Vi takes hold of my hand, encouraging me to go on with long, soothing strokes of her thumb.
“I begged her to tell me why the sudden change of heart. Eventually, she said she was pregnant. I asked who, and she told me. She was so fragile, trembling, like the very mention of his name brought her to a withering mess. I knew then he’d forced himself on her. I asked her, but her silence was all I needed.”
Vi climbs on my lap, wraps her arms and legs around me like a koala bear. I cling to her like a lifeline. The only thing keeping me grounded as I remember that night when anger consumed me. The growing storm outside that night raged in my head, whirling all rational thoughts away into a tornado of chaos.
My body vibrates, but Vi keeps me pinned beneath her, an anchor in a stormy sea. The floral scent of her hair calms me, causing my breathing to slow.
“You don’t have to go back there. I can guess what happened next.”
“I do have to go back there. You need to know as much as I wanted to hurt him, I never meant to kill him. I’m not a cold-blooded murderer. It was his grin with bloody teeth that did it. Something triggered me, and I was back in hell. I couldn’t stop my hands, Vi. You have to believe me. I never meant to kill him.” My voice cracks.
She hugs me tighter. My body shaking against hers with a strangled sob. “I believe you. It’s in the past. I forgive you. When Lilly told me the truth of it, I forgave you then. I just wish you’d been honest from the start.” Her words bring some release while her lips pepper me with soothing kisses.
