Gripping my chin, Anxo turns my head to him. “I owe you everything for what you did for Hazel, but don’t you dare sacrifice yourself like that ever again.” His fear shines so brightly in his eyes that I hate that I’m the reason behind it.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“Shut up and stop underestimating yourself. You weremagnificent. You move so elegantly that I had to keep reminding myself we were in the middle of something before I came running to you. And I’m stealing some of your moves, especially that one where you broke his ankle and then twisted his neck.Epicsweetheart.”
I’m blushing like a fool, but he goes on complimenting me. I’m just glad I didn’t fuck up like I thought I did.
“Do you want to be my boyfriend?”
Oh no. Oh no.Oh fuck no. Why the fuck did that come out of my mouth? This is not the place or the time to ask this, Nevaeh. I’ve been dying to ask him for days, but now that I’ve blurted it out like an amateur, I have no option but to brace for impact.
“I don’t want to be your boyfriend.”
Stupid Nevaeh!You just had to go and build fantasies about things only happening inside your head.
“Oh, um… okay…cool. It wasn’t like I wanted that or anything. I couldn’t care less.pfft.”
Anxo cups my face, the sincerity in his eyes locking me in a daze. “Nevaeh Blackburn, I don’t want to be your boyfriend. That word is temporary and represents too little of what I want for us. I wantforeverwith you.”
I think I stop breathing, but Anxo has no regard for my poor heart and continues to kill me with his sweet words.
“I want to be your home, your every kiss, your forever. I want to be there when you finally free yourself from your past or when that same past keeps you up at night. I want to be there for all of it. I want my mornings to start beside you and my nights to end inside you. I have waited my entire life for you, so I’m not settling for anything less than permanent.”
For the first time, I don’t want to hide behind my mask. I don’t want to hide how much his words mean to me. I want to allow myself the chance to have this person break into my heart and make himself home.
Tears cascade down my face, and Anxo understands his sweet words have stunned me into silence because he doesn’t ask me to stop, only wipes them softly and kisses my forehead.
“I don’t want a little something with you, Nevaeh. I wanteverythingwith you.Youare my everything. In a world where even being soulmates is not enough, I’ll have to keep adding more titles to keep you forever. And I’ll start by making youmy wife.”
I’m so lost in this bubbly feeling and his sparkling eyes staring into my soul with that heart-warming smile that it takes me a second to process his words.
“What—no. I don’t think that’s where you start.”
I stare at him dumbfounded, but he cups my face so I can’t focus on anything but him. “That’s exactly where we start in my world.”
He’s not fooling anybody. I’ve watched movies.Tons of them. I know that’s not where you start.
“I’m not sure I like the ways of your world then.” I can’t help the shit-eating grin on my lips at his antics.
I’m letting him get away with it though, only because I know he won’t back down, not because I wouldn’t mind him calling me his wife for the rest of our lives.
“You’ll love it soon enough, wifey.”
“Not your wife, Angel.” I can’t help but giggle like a schoolgirl at his persistence. I don’t want to admit how my stomach flutters every time he is this sure about our future together.
Anxo turns me around so I’m facing him and traps me between his arms again. “Yes, you are. You just don’t know it yet.”
This goof!I laugh even harder. The healing wound on my stomach stretches and stings, but I can’t stop.
“How—” he cuts me off with his lips, kissing me fiercely.
“Hush, women, everything is already arranged.” He shushes my very logical protest and chuckles with me.
I sit here wrapped in his arms and wonder how I got this lucky.
CHAPTER 17
You can’t hide everything
