Page 71 of Spice and Revenge

I hate myself for feeling this way about him.

“You should kill me, then,” I mutter, trying to keep my composure. “I have no one else to live for anyway.”

Leo takes another step forward, pressing the gun very hard against my temple. I shiver as the cold metal of the barrel presses against my skin.

He looks into my eyes, and I wonder if he’d do it, if he really wants to end it.

“Do it,” I challenge, my voice low. “End this.”

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Leo snarls, his voice harsh and dangerous as his fingers curl around the gun. “If I could kill you, I would. But I can’t—”

“Just do it!” I insist.

“I can’t,” he admits, his grip on the gun tightening.

“Why?” I demand, desperation in my tone. “Why can’t you put me out of my misery and pull the damn trigger?”

“Because I fucking love you!”

His words hang heavy in the air, shattering the silence.

My world spins as if a heavy wind swept the floor out from under me. The words reverberate in my head, and the only noise that fills the silence between us is that of our labored breaths.

“Believe me, I do. I've crossed lines I never thought I would. I've kissed you, fucked you—things I never do. Repeatedly. I’m lostin these damn feelings. You betrayed me, tried to kill me, yet I still find myself unable to put a bullet between your eyes,” he bites out harshly.

My heart struggles between leaping for joy at his confession and falling deeper into misery.

“I’m torn between hating you and loving you. I don’t think I’ll be able to live with myself if I do the very thing I’m inclined to do. My heart keeps screaming at me to do the opposite.”

“You don’t mean that,” I whisper, blinking rapidly to fight back the fresh wave of tears pooling in my eyes.

But deep down, I know he means it, because I feel the same way.

The gun clatters against the floor as he cups my face into his hands.

“Let me show you, then,” he growls before crashing his lips into mine, stealing the air right out of my lungs.

The world blurs around us, and all I can focus on is his hot lips, how soft and inviting they feel against mine, how gentle and passionate they move, and how much I love him too.

I moan into his mouth as his hands roam freely over my body, making me feel alive.

He pulls me roughly into him, molding our bodies together, and then he whispers against my lips. “I’m so mad at you right now, but I’ve also never wanted to fuck you more.”

In that moment, despite the pain and the chaos, I realize I want nothing more.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Leonardo

This kiss is different from any other kiss we’ve ever shared. It’s hungry and frantic, but it’s also deep and slow. My hand snakes up to cup her face tenderly as our tongues dance together.

She’s so soft and pliant in my arms, her moans intertwine with my heavy breaths. I kiss her until we are both breathless before I pull away so that we can catch our breaths.

My lips tingle from our kisses, and I don’t waste any time before pulling her hand, leading us to the old sofa in one corner of the room.

“I don’t think that piece of furniture can carry our weight,” Lorena murmurs.

“Well, I’m not lying on that bug-infested mattress.”

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