Page 114 of Scorned

The wood floor was cold against my bare feet and I was about to grab a pair of socks before I moved onto my next task when I heard a creak from behind me.

“How long was I in there?”

I froze, my heart fluttering at the sound of Luka’s voice, his question sinking in. My breaths were rapid, and I locked my eyes on the gray laminate counter, staring at the black and white speckles, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Six . . . six months.”

He sucked in a hard breath. “Holy shit.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.” I bit my lip, the guilt eating at my veins.

“I already told you not to be sorry for anything. I’d happily be locked up forever to keep you safe.”

The wood floor creaked again as Luka moved in close, then slid the collar of my shirt over, sending chills down my spine. He placed soft kisses on my shoulder, his hot breath blowing across my skin.

I leaned into him, my eyes drifting close, completely enjoying the moment.

The song shuffled to the next one, changing to “Fade into You” by Mazzy Star, and he gripped my hips, turning me to meet his eyes.

“Kiss me,” he commanded in a way that sent shivers rippling through my body—through my damn soul.

I did what he asked and pushed up onto my tippy toes with lips parted. His mouth pressed against mine, warm and inviting, giving me a safe place to be on a cold winter’s night.

My heart raced, an aching settling in it. I didn’t know if the feeling was fear of losing him again, or if my heart had overfilled with so much love it hurt.

Silent tears rolled down my cheeks as I pulled back, staring into his bright blue eyes. He held my gaze, gently wiping them away with his knuckle.

He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine, and we silently bonded back together.

The stars had destined our paths to cross because we were two halves of a whole, stronger together than we were apart.

He was the peace to my chaos, the calm to my nervousness.

The universe, that’s what he was.

He was life—my life—and I knew I couldn’t live without him. Which wasn’t something I was used to.

For as far back as I could remember, I kept most men at a distance, and I finally realized why.

As a small child, I was a daddy’s girl, following him around, awaiting the day I’d finally get his approval—one that never came. My uncle also made me feel unworthy, constantly reminding me of my inadequacy to hold my proud position as a member of Venom.

As I got older, I was afraid of becoming a victim, making the unconscious vow to never let another man hurt me. It mostly worked. I’d had romantic relationships with both men and women, none of them successful. When things ended, I’d blame them, saying they were too clingy or some other excuse, not acknowledging I was the real problem. With me came a giant suitcase of emotional baggage that I refused to unpack.

There were only a few men who’d made it through the stronghold I had surrounding my heart, and one of them was Marcus. He’d stepped up, slowly teaching me about integrity and showing me the fatherly love I’d never experienced with my real dad.

Another was Erik. Being born in the Venom society just a few years before me, we’d become family before my walls went up. He was a brother to me and a person I trusted with my heart.

Then there was Winnie. Our friendship had experienced significant growth over the past six months, making him my family now.

Finally, there was Luka. Despite all the hate in the beginning, he’d always looked out for me, sacrificing his own needs for the sake of mine. Somehow, he’d slowly inched his way across my thresholds without either of us knowing. And as I stood there, my forehead pressed against his, his scent once again gracing my nose, I knew he’d broken down my barriers and completely moved into my heart.

And I . . . had let him.

He shifted, letting go of me for a split second to gently guide my hands to his shoulders before dropping his own back to the curves of my hips. His body swayed gracefully with the music, mine naturally following . . . and it forever would. I’d follow him off a cliff without hesitation because he was a piece of me now. A piece of my heart and soul.

As the wood beneath our feet creaked, the cabin floor felt less chilly. His warm blue eyes stayed locked with mine while we swayed away the darkness.

Chapter 32

---