Page 98 of Milo

Milo spins around, slamming my back against the window, shielding my body as a loud snap sounds from afar.

"Woah…” I press my palms against his heaving chest. His ragged, uneven breath fans against my forehead. "It's okay. Relax. It was just champagne."

"I thought it was—" he falters, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He pulls me flush against his trembling body and presses his warm lips against my forehead. “Kiara…”

He thought it was a gunshot. He?—

"You want me to leave yet you're willing to throw yourself in front of a bullet for me?" I grip his shirt with all my strength. Don't fly away. "What do you want from me, Milo? You need to decide."

I just did.

I don't want to leave. I want to be here. Not because I'm scared. Not because I'm in danger. Not because I have no choice. I want to be here because of him. Because of Milo. Because for the first time in weeks, I'm lucid. I'm here. And I don't want to be anywhere else.

"What do you want?" I ask again. “What do you want, Milo?"

"I—I cannot lose you," he whispers across my forehead. "I can't."

"You won't." I tilt my head back, caressing his stubbled cheek with my hand as I state in a breathy tone, "I'm right here."

He swallows, leaning into my palm, his eyes fluttering shut. "If you stay with me, people will try to hurt you. They will kill you?—"

"I trust you to keep me safe.” I meet his solemn gaze. "You'll protect me."

Milo shakes his head, the sharp edge of his jaw clenching. "I might not always be able to protect you, tesoro."

"I know that.” I push myself up on my tippy toes and snake my arms around his neck, my fingers raking through his hair. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"You are not a gambler," he breathes against my parted lips. "And I am a big risk."

"I like the odds.” A low, building current courses through my body, not too overpowering, not too dull, just right. "I like them a lot."

"What happened to my pessimist?"

I manage a small smile. "She found something to believe in."

Conflict flashes across Milo's face for a millisecond as he cups my cheek, his thumb grazing my jawline. "What is it you want, Kiara? From me?"

"I want you," I reply honestly. And I mean every single word. "All of you."

"I am not a good person, tesoro, you said so yourself," Milo whispers, his soft touch making me dizzy. "I will hurt you one way or another."

"Maybe I like the pain.” I press my body closer to him, my brain no longer filtering the words spilling out of my mouth. "It's better to feel something than nothing at all."

He drags his thumb along my lips, his gaze darkening as he scans my face like he's trying to read ancient Sanskrit, like he's struggling to understand me. "And what is it that you feel, tesoro?"

My chest rises with aching need as I writhe under his touch, heat collecting in my stomach. "I feel like we should go upstairs."

He hesitates for a moment before whispering, with absolute resolution, "Whatever you want, Kiara. It is yours."

You need to decide what you want from him. And once you do, take it.

And so, I do.

Chapter 26

Tapestry of Trust

The past several weeks have been tempestuous, chaotic, unyielding with trauma and temptation.

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