Page 97 of Seizing Control: Part One

“No.”

“Too many to count. You’ve been drivin’ me crazy for years.”

My apology is immediate. “I didn’t know.”

“And now that you do?”

We reach the crux of our problem in light-speed. “I don’t want to ruin things between you and Zeke.”

“There’s nothin’ left to ruin.”

After he holds me out from him so I can see the veracity of his claim in his expression, I sniff. “I was afraid of that.”

“I’m gonna be good to you.”

“I know.”

“I’ll love you right.”

I can’t hide my sadness at the destruction of Zeke and Slash’s friendship as I admit, “I know.”

Slash responds to my sorrow by dropping to his knees in front of me. He wraps his arms around my waist, and stooping low, he presses a kiss to my stomach. My dress softens the impact of his touch, but I understand what he’s trying to say without words. It’s so similar to Zeke’s silent apology on the balcony after the concert that I find myself choking back a sob.

Together, they are the perfect man.

Ying and yang.

The dual pieces of my heart.

I brush my hand over the top of his head.

The long locks that I’ve loved forever are silky to touch.

Familiar yet foreign.

He catches hold of my wrist when I go to tangle my fingers in his hair. Pulling me to my knees, Slash holds me upright when the weight of my dress almost topples me over. His arms circle my waist and haul me into his hard frame. I go willingly, unable to resist the pull between us for a second longer. Holding him as tightly as he is hugging me, I nip at his bottom lip when he lightly kisses me, then moves away.

My cheekiness is immediately rewarded.

My husband collars my throat.

Brings us full circle.

Shows me how right we are for each other.

My darker desires seem to match the brutality I can see he’s hiding from me.

“I’m gonna make love to you. Fuck the wedding—it can wait. Fuck the Trinity—they don’t get our first time.”

“Okay.”

Forehead resting against mine, Slash looks me dead in the eye. “You’re on board with this?”

“My head is rebelling—all the reasons why this is wrong are trying to paralyse me,” I confess as loudly as I can manage. Part of me wants to scream, the other half rejoices as I finally tell him, “But my heart is all in.”

“Good… ’cause this is happenin’. No more half-truths. No more lies. No more dodgin’ reality. You’re mine.”

Slash lays me on my back on the blankets. His hands shake as he undoes the ankle strap of my heels. His rough palms and calloused fingers skim along my legs when he slowly pushes my skirt up to my waist. The white lace panties Nadia surprised me with are the only thing hiding me from his probing gaze as he spreads my thighs wide and kneels between them.

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