I hadn’t been able to save my family.

I’d never be able to make up for that.

But I’d save Hope.

Even from herself.

She stared at me, and I could see the wheels turning, saw when she finally made her decision.

Braced myself for it.

“I already have.”

TWENTY-NINE

Hope

And I had.

I wasn’t sure when, how, but I had fallen in love Nico.

I lifted my hand, beckoned him toward me.

He didn’t move, not at first, but then he came toward me, his huge, muscular body a sight to behold.

I grabbed his wrists when he stopped at the side of the bed, and then pulled toward me, reaching up to kiss him.

Somehow, I knew he didn’t believe me.

Knew that he thought he was justified not to.

How could I deny that?

I was confused myself, knew that I should fear him.

But is much as I knew that, I didn’t.

Didn’t fear him at all.

Nico had shown me more love than anyone since my mother had died.

I trusted him completely.

I just needed him to believe it.

Words wouldn’t do that, so I pulled him down and wrapped my legs around his hips.

I reached between our bodies and guided his hard length inside me.

Hissed at the sting, our earlier lovemaking leaving me tender.

But the pain didn’t matter.

All that mattered was showing Nico that I loved him.

I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, arching my back, offering myself to him.

He settled his hands on my waist, and took over, thrusting into me gently, but at a speed that left me breathless.