Page 99 of Ricochet

She’d begged for the depravity inside of me, and much as my conscience battled against me, I gave it to her. She took all of me, for hours, until both of us had collapsed. In ecstasy. No blackouts. No screams of fear. No pain. Only Aubree and me, lying in the blood and sweat of what we both had craved.

Two days had passed since the call from Bojanski, and Devil’s Night had arrived. The final show. The one I hadn’t planned to come back from.

My head swam in questions, to which I suddenly didn’t have answers. Like, What now?

Should I pursue my vengeance? The final plan to destroy Michael Culling and all of the gangs at once? To blow them all to hell, and let Alec turn the gun back on me.

Or should I walk away?

What would Alec say, though? All the work. The planning. The surveillance. The years we’d invested into the final act of revenge—all of it—out the window for some woman?

Not some woman.

Aubree.

Her fingers gently clutched my jaw, and she guided my stare back to her. “You’re somewhere else right now.”

“Just thinking.”

“What’s troubling you?”

I shook my head, and rolling over her until I’d caged her beneath me, I kissed her, transported back to no more than an hour ago, when the chains had dissolved from my mind. I was free. Consumed by nothing but my dark craving for this woman. When I pulled away, her downward gaze told me something troubled her as well.

“Nick … I know this isn’t what either of us planned.” Her eyes trailed back to mine. “I’m not going to trap you. But I can’t let you run off into certain death, either. Not now. I’m too invested in you.”

“Invested?” I huffed an exhale, and fell onto my back once more. “Aubree …”

Christ, I felt like I’d just given the same speech to Lauren. I hated having to say the words again, but my life came with too many risks. Even if I decided not to go through with the plan, to run off into the sunset with her, I’d pissed off too many people who’d soon be on a warpath for revenge. Aubree would be the perfect target.

“I think it might be best for you to get as far away from me as you can,” I finished.

“Why would I do that?” She rubbed both hands down her face. “You’ve got my head spinning right now. You hate me. You want to fuck me. You can’t let me go, but now you think I should walk away?”

I couldn’t blame her for the confusion. Christ, I didn’t even know what the hell I wanted.

One minute I wanted to kill her, the next, I wanted to kill every cocksucker who’d ever laid a hand on her.

“Culling and Cox have to die. I have to finish this.”

She shot up and planted her hands on either side of my body. “I’m with you on this, Nick, believe me. He’s hurt so many people. Including me.” Her fingertips drifted down my cheek. “You want revenge? Let’s get out of here. Get the fuck out of here and never come back. We’ll smile at him from a place where the sun shines and the world is right. Come with me.”

If only I could. If I thought I’d never be hit with the remorse, remembering my wife and son in those final moments, I’d go with her. Attempt to put some semblance of a life back together and see what the fuck happened. Maybe I’d be happy again someday. With her, I probably could be.

I smirked and pulled her in for a kiss. “And what would we do with ourselves?”

A wily grin dimpled her cheeks. “Anything your heart desires. Your command is my wish.” She nipped my earlobe and giggled when I gripped her sides and tickled.

“The hell it is. You’re too feisty to be told what to do, Pistol Lips.” I continued my assault, dodging kicks to my side, as she attempted to break free, and I rolled on top of her. Pinning her arms to the bed, I held her there, staring down into those beautiful, bright golden eyes that’d begun to sparkle. Slanting my lips over hers, I took in her struggle against my body, until she calmed and her moan purred in my mouth. “You make a man question his motives, that’s for sure.”

“Could you even imagine a place where we watch sunrises, have sex, eat, shower, have sex, lay in the sun, watch sunsets, sex.”

“I’m picking up on a theme …”

“I haven’t watched the sun set in five years. Five years, I’ve been so focused on surviving. And now …” Her smile wilted to a wistful sigh. “Make it stop.”

“Make what stop?”

“Time. I want to stay here, in this place for eternity, with you.”