Page 67 of Beautiful Dark Temptation

Kieran lifted his eyes to mine. Themonotonous sound of his voice as he just laid out his plans to killevery member of his family, even his younger brother, tore throughme. But instead of being repulsed, I couldn’t stop feeling I neededto protect him. To take away his pain. A tear slipped out andtrailed slowly down his face. “Do you know why I won’t go with thatplan?”

I shook my head, unable to speak.

“Because I’d lose the last light I have leftinside of me. I’d been holding on to it so damn tight. And do youknow who has control of that light right this moment?” He didn’twait for me to answer. I had no answer to give. “You, Tomás. You’rethe last light I have left.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Kieran

For the first time in my dark life, I feltfree. An insurmountable weight had been lifted off my shoulders.Though The Ark Boys knew why I wanted to bring down the Brennans, Ihad never told anyone about my plan B. I wouldn’t let any of mybrothers choose between me and an innocent life. Though Tristan,Maddox, and possibly Liam and Declan weren’t innocent, Imogen andmy little brother were innocent. And I’d still kill them.

Tomás slowly got to his feet and for ashattering moment, I thought he was going to continue to his roomlike he had intended earlier. Leave me there with my heart out.

He didn’t.

He took my hand and knelt in front of me sothat we were almost at eye level. My heart wouldn’t stop racing andevery breath was a monumental effort. He opened his mouth to saysomething but closed it. His fingers grazed my cheek, dipped intomy scalp. I closed my eyes just savoring his touch, felt his breathgraze my lips as he kissed me. It was as if what words could notconvey, our bodies knew how to. I felt his hands on my thighs as heleaned in deeper. My hands immediately cupped his face, wanting somuch more.

He pulled away as I chased the kiss. Then hegot to his feet, taking me with him. He led me up the stairs to thebedroom.

Without looking at me, he lifted his t-shirtoff his body and tossed it on the floor, then he pushed the sweatsdown and stepped out of them, remaining completely naked. His bodywasn’t defined as mine. It was long and lean. Maybe, too lean. I’dhave to work on getting him eating more. The tattoo on his left pecslipped into his upper arm and down his side. It wasn’t colored in,just black against his suntanned skin. His dark nipples pebbledagainst the cool air along with his skin. He had a dusting of darkhair trailing just under his navel, spreading around his groin. Hisdick pulsed, growing as it hardened. And his legs were bare.

I dragged my eyes back to his beautifulface. He had a smooth jawline, thick full lips, and dark eyesshadowed by his long thick lashes. His brows pulled everythingtogether. The lucky bastard didn’t have to work to be beautiful. Ididn’t even think he saw what others saw in him. Pretty, maybe, butbeautiful for sure. He didn’t move as I took my fill of him.

“It’s chilly,” he said nervously.

“It won’t be for long,” I responded. Thatgot his dick to rise, and I wanted to ask him what he was thinkingabout, what he wanted to do tonight.

“You’re still dressed.”

I’d always been self-conscious about mybody. Yeah, I worked the hell out of it, but that had been forsurvival, not aesthetics. Even when I’d been with girls, I’d nevertaken off my t-shirt. Never allowed them to see me fully. I hadcatalogued all the scars my grandfather gave me throughout theyears. The eight on my back for refusing to kill. The scalpel woundfrom my pelvis to my navel for refusing to use my body as a toolwhenever he threw me like a whore to the women he wanted me toscam. The burn scar just under my sternum had meant to be a bullet.A reminder of what the enemy could do to me if I didn’t act first.Tomás had been the only person who’d seen them all, who touchedsomething deeper than my scars.

“You don’t haveto,” Tomás said. “We don’t have to do anything.”

My heart couldn’t take his kindness. Iwouldn’t survive it, survive him. I approached him like I awayshave, like a predator and he, my prey. And when I slammed my mouthagainst his, taking possession of him, he not just melded into mytouch, he became alive with something feral. Tomás’s reaction to memade my soul burn for him. His frantic movements managed to undressme, but he took care not to touch the device on my arm. The shitsilent. His hands roamed everywhere. Cupping the back of my head,digging his fingers in, pulling hard. That drew a moan out of me.While I started this between us, he fueled the ember that scorchedmy world.

I fell into the bed while he climbed overme. His tongue taking place of his hands. My body on fire. We didthings that made me forget everything wrong in my life. For onemore night, I gave him my body and my heart. I gave him thebeautiful parts of myself. I took a part of him he gave only to me.I’d remember it, hold onto it, and not even the lies between uscould take that away from me. No words were exchanged, only ourheavy breaths, moans, groans, and oh fucks, until I cried out hisname and he called out mine. And just as we were spent in eachother’s arms, listening to the rushing beat of our heart, anunspoken truth sidled between us. This would be our last timetogether. That truth dug deeper than I could withstand. I slid myfingers across his and I pulled out my leather bracelet. I slippedit on his wrist and tightened the knot.

“What is this?” he asked.

I popped out the blue sapphire stone toreveal my obol. The raven with the B. It also had my DNA encrustedon the underside. “Kieran, you’re supposed to keep this.”

“I want you to have it.” I kissed him. “Iwant to give you a part of me to take with you.”

He said nothing just ran his index fingeracross the gemstone. I don’t know exactly when I fell asleep, but Iknew nothing would be the same after I woke up alone.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tomás

Falling in love happened all at once.

One moment I thought I could walk away fromKieran, the next moment my heart screamed for him. I wanted tosavor our time together, to be part of the chaos in his life, but Icouldn’t. It felt wrong just as it felt right. Peeling my body awayfrom his arms took the last bit of strength I had left. I hadconvinced myself that staying with him would risk his life. Iconvinced myself that he was better without me. We didn’t fit. He’dnever come out for me, and I wouldn’t be able to take seeing himwith girls, fake or not. Us apart would be better for everyone. Foxagreed. I’d called him to let him know my intent on running. Helistened and said he’d hook me up. Didn’t try to convince me thatrunning would be a mistake. He knew Kieran better than me, so I hadto be doing the right thing. Right? Then like a thief in the night,I stole whatever money Kieran had on his person. Two grand. Likethe loser I’d always be, I shoved it into my pocket. I needed itmore, I defended. I thought about leaving him the bracelet, but Ikept that with me. I knew what the obol represented, and I knewwhat it had on the underside. His blood. I would’ve left him mine,except mine was a lie. I’d never be a Brennan.

Fox was already outside when I walked out.Without words exchanged, we nodded to each other. He didn’t stopme. I climbed into a dark sedan waiting for me at the main streetwith River in the driver’s seat. He drove me to the airport.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this behind hisback,” River said.

“He’s compromised,” I said back.Becauseof me.

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