Page 98 of When Hearts Surrender

I won’t survive if she dies. I. Simply. Won’t. Survive.

The vision I saw earlier in the study, Belle getting dragged to the depths of hell, black tendrils snaking over her skin and tearing her away from me, rises to the forefront.

No. No. No. I can’t fall in love with her. The curse. I can’t. I can’t—

The door creaks open and the scent of sweet lilies filters inside and every nerve ending in my body comes alive, my muscles coiling in tension.

Please don’t come in. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to withstand you.

My pleas go unanswered because Belle enters the room and walks toward me. She steps into the moonlight streaming in from the open doors; the wind billowing her dress and sending a thousand snowflakes cascading over her body.

She looks ethereal. An angel from the heavens. My salvation from eternal damnation.

My breath hitches, my heart seizes, and I lose the ability to speak.

She steps toward me, her eyes glowing with concern, with anger, with appreciation, and with so much affection I can’t think clearly, the clawing need inside me growing, morphing into a beast of its own, needing to touch her silky skin, to kiss those plump lips, to claim her.

Mine.

“Maxwell,” she whispers, standing a hairsbreadth distance away. “Why did you run off?”

My hands clench into fists so tightly, my arms shake from the restraint. “Go away, Belle. Please.”

“No! I’m donewith you and your insane moods. I’m not playing your games anymore.”

“You think this is a game?” I growl, my breath fogging up the air before dissipating. “You think having the woman of my dreams living in the same house, taking my last name, infiltrating my entire life and turning it upside down is agameto me?”

She gasps, her eyes widening at whatever she sees on my face. I dig my nails into my palms, the flash of pain barely registering as I fight every instinct to touch her.

“You think having you in my life and not being able to touch you, to kiss you, to fuck and make love to you whenever I want, when that’s all I ever think about, is a fucking game to me?”

Moisture gathers in her eyes, and she reaches toward my face, her fingers trembling.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” I jerk back and repeat the command from downstairs. “P-Please, Belle. Don’t touch me.”

“Why Maxwell? Why deny this between us?” A tear rolls down her cheek and I want to whip myself for hurting her.

“I’m not in control of myself right now. I’m losing my mind over you,” I rasp, my voice thickening. “If you touch me, I won’t be able to stop…I won’t be able to—”

“What? Save me from the curse?” Belle shakes her head, her voice ardent. “I don’t believe in the curse, Maxwell. No matter how many times you guys tell me about it, I don’t.”

Her voice grows stronger, her tawny eyes darker, fiercer. “This ismy life, Maxwell.My choice.You don’t get to decide for me, because what we have…I might not be experienced in love, but what we have, I know, doesn’t come around often.”

She points to her chest, to the locket I gave her. “I feel it here. Deep inside me, and it’s a risk I get to decide to take.”

“But you’ll die. I-I can’t…if you die, there’s nothing left for me.” The words, trapped in the deepest crevices of my heart this entire time, slip out, unable to restrain themselves anymore in herpresence.

The presence of the woman who makes me feel so much, who makes me feel…

Everything.

“I don’t believe it, and I’ll show you.”

She pulls my head down and presses her lips to mine.

My body stills for a brief second until my mind catches up and it’s the precious air given to a drowning man, a match dropped on gasoline, and all my thoughts shut down.

Growling, I grip her face, my mouth conquering hers, claiming what’s always been mine. Our kiss is a mess of tongues, teeth, and passion. Her sweet taste is giving me the highest of highs.

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