Page 101 of Cruel Dominion

She looked at me, her face angled down so it was hard to read her features. I didn’t want to tell her like that but it felt natural. I’d loved her since day one, which sounded insane, but it was true.

It wasn’t until recently I’d thought to actually tell her.

Somehow saying it made it more real. After everything with her Dad, I was more certain than ever. I wanted her, and I was ready to do whatever it took to be good enough for her. Between her going to college and me working, we were going to figure it out.

I watched her expression, searching for something to hold on to.

Her mouth, open in that perfect ‘o’ she always made when she was in shock and didn’t know what to say, shrank until it vanished. She pulled her lip between her teeth, biting it lightly like she did when she was stressed about something or deep in thought.

Shit. It was too soon.

“No pressure to say it back or anything. I just wanted you to?—”

“I love you, too, Carter.”

My skin bristled and a heat like heavy molten metal spread through my gut.

Anna let out a watery giggle, bending to press her lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around her, as if I just held her a little tighter, a little closer, nothing could ever separate us.

I pulled her back, looking into those incredible jade eyes.

“Then make me a promise.”

She wiped her nose, still smiling. “Anything.”

“Promise you’ll always be mine.”

Her gaze softened. “I don’t think I could ever belong to anyone else.”

I shook my head. “No, Anna, I need you to promise me.”

It took her a minute, but she nodded. “Okay. I promise.”

The molten metal cooled, settling into place, melding us together in this moment and forever.

“And I’ll make you a promise in return,” I said, pulling her hand to my chest, pressing it flat against the hammering heart beneath my ribcage. “This is yours. I swear to you I will never give it to anyone else.”

23

ANNA

“Is this a jellyfish?” I asked.

Carter and I lay in bed, both still naked, while I examined his black ink tattoos. I propped up on an elbow to see where the tentacles wrapped around his forearm, dangling down his wrist on the left arm.

“Yes.”

“Why a jellyfish?”

“You don’t remember?”

I pressed my lips tight. I couldn’t believe I actually thought he was going to die if I didn’t pee on the sting. The worst part was that he actually let me do it.

When I went home that night and googled it, I was absolutely mortified.

“Don’t tell me that’s why you got this?”

He shrugged noncommittally. “It reminded me of you.”

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