Page 115 of Left in the Dark

“What can I get you?” Zayne’s hands cup my face, and a wave of pain crashes over me. I breathe through it, even though it hurts like hell.

“Water, something for the pain, and tissues would be nice.”

“No problem.” He releases my face and heads to the nightstand, grabbing a box of tissues. He carries them over to me, then types something into his phone.

I take them, cleaning up my face. Even though my mouth is dry, I need to tell him how I felt when I saw him… I cut the thought off.

You can do this. You’re strong. Get it out.

When his eyes meet mine, I give him a shaky smile. “The bar was closer than Callie’s car. And really, I wasn’t in any shape to drive. My left eye was nearly swollen shut, and I was in so much pain. Knowing there was a chance you were there fueled me to drag myself to my feet and hobble inside.”

A pained look is on his face. His hand lifts, rubbing his chest. “You saw another woman kissing me when you walked in.”

“I thought I was hallucinating. A side effect of the beating I sustained. But then it sunk in, and I realized…” I swallow thickly, my heart sluggish. “Your coworker was there. When I looked at his sympathetic face, I knew it was real. I thought you moved on and—” I bite my quivering lip.

“God, no, Delaney. I’ve never moved on from you.”

His words hang in the air like a bomb between us. Our gazes are locked together. There’s so much pain radiating from his eyes. I’m not sure if it’s his own or if he’s taking on mine with his. I suspect it’s the latter.

Even though there’s so much hurt, and I haven’t processed the betrayal and anger over him wearing the Michael Myers mask, I see the boy I loved at eighteen shining in his eyes.

God, I miss him.I miss that boy… and I’m not sure I can lose the thirty-four-year-old man I’ve fallen in love with.

“What are you thinking?” His voice is raspy and so deep. Even with my emotions in a tailspin, I can’t help the shiver that rolls through me.

“You kissing someone else has haunted me for fifteen years.” I blow out a breath, gathering my courage. “I think I need you to kiss me and take?—”

His lips are on mine before I can finish saying the words. I melt against him, my arms wrapping around him.

I breathe in the scent of blood, a hint of cologne, smoke, and pine as I inhale his essence into my lungs. When I exhale, my essence floods with his. The moan that comes from him makes my knees weak.

The ever-present flame between us sparks and explodes into an inferno. Every bit of pain, emptiness, longing, anger, betrayal, and secrets is packed in this hungry and desperate kiss.

I moan, and his fingers tangle in my hair. “I’ve never kissed another woman.” He says against my lips.

My eyes fly open, and I pull back, examining him. I see the truth shining in his irises. “What?”

“I didn’t kiss the woman in the bar. She kissed me. There’s only one woman I’ve kissed, minx.You.”

Our mouths collide like two planets crashing together. It’s a cosmic explosion inside my body as our hungry lips devour each other, our bodies sealing together. Our hands slide, touch, and grope. Our teeth, lips, and tongue tangle together, full of desperation and need.

My heart hammers beneath my breastbone, matching the beat of his. Our breaths sync, breathing life into one another.

Even through all the pain and misunderstandings between us, the pieces of my broken heart quiver, snapping back together.

When he moans, “Fuck, I’ve missed you so damn much. I’ve ached for you for fifteen fucking years,” I met. His words are like glue, fusing the shards of my broken heart, making it whole again.

“Zayne.” I breathe against his lips, clinging to him. “I can’t even describe how much I’ve missed and longed for you.”

Our lips tangle again. My body is overheating from his touch, but I don’t care if I fucking combust in his arms.

A knock on the bedroom door intrudes upon our moment. Our eyes fly open, and our lips slowly part.

“That’s my staff with the water and pain meds.” He steps back, his finger pressing against my puffy lips. “Hold that thought.”

He hangs onto my hands until the distance forces them apart. His eyes are on me as he backs to the door.

He breaks eye contact with me when he turns and opens it. I fold my arms across my chest, feeling the loss of him, even though he’s only several feet away from me.

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