Page 125 of As the World Falls

But then she tilts her head too, watching me even closer like I am her, and it unsettles me. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

It’s like hot tar fills my throat, strangling me at her correct assumption. “It’s a rational thought, babe. I’ve given you no reason to.”

She walks toward me, not stopping until we’re almost chest-to-chest. Her light eyes look up at me, swimming with an array of emotions that make breathing harder.

“You’ve given me every reason to. I could tell you it’s because you validate me. You saw me as a real person, a real threat, and you put matter to it even if it started as deception. Or how you recognize my soul and appreciate everything that makes me who I am. But that would be me loving you for how you loveme, which is a big reason. But mostly, I love you because you’re protective. I feel like nothing can touch me if I’m with you. You’re intelligent and business savvy, but I love how you pretend it’s all there is to you. That you don’t care about people when one of the reasons I fell in love with you is how much you care about my brother. Or the way you knew every time I needed you and showed up every single time. I love your profound interest in crystals and the way you admire raw things because it reminds me of how unapologetically raw you are. You’re also playful when relaxed, and I love that side of you. But I love your obsession with mazes the most because it reminds you of your father even when he doesn’t deserve a space in your mind or your heart, and that’s just it…the very thing I’ve come to realize. You think your heart is dark and wicked, but it’s as innocent and pure as mine is, and you love hard with it, whether you think you’re capable of it or not. I love you because even when I tried to hate you, you made it a war in trying not to love you…and I lost. I love you.”

Her words rush into me like a drug for the darkness in my chest, and I welcome it. I jerk her to me, making our chests finally collide and dropping my mouth to hers. She moans onto my lips, holding me with as much aggression. I tear my mouth from hers, breathing heavily as I tug her sweater over her shoulders. “My life is dangerous. How could you love me and be happy when you’ll always be a target?”

She unbuttons my shirt with what seemed like superspeed. “All I need is you there, and I’ll be fine.”

She rips my shirt from my body as I curl my fingers into the waistband of her skirt and slip it down her legs. I drop to my knees and trail my hands up her legs to her soft, creamy thighs that scatter in goosebumps from the cold air. “How could you want me touching you with my hands that are violentand marred? The way I want you—need you, is anything but normal.”

She pulls me back up, fumbling with the buckle of my belt and yanking on it once it’s undone, aggressively pulling me close to her again in the process. “What aren’t you getting? I want your violence and obsession. I want your danger, and even more, I want your protection. I want everything you are because it made me fall in love for the first time in my life.” Her hand slides up my chest and cups my cheek. “You’re not marred. You’re scarred. There’s a difference, but it doesn’t make you any less beautiful to me.”

My heart pounds in my chest. I have a million more questions, but they don’t matter right now. The only thing that does is her and the promise she’s giving me. I lean down, kissing her softly. “You want to see beautiful, babe?” I whisper, letting my mouth roam up her cheek and kissing her there. Then, her temple. Then, her hair. My hands travel down her arms, then fall to her waist, dragging down to her hips until I’m cupping her ass and lifting her. Her legs wrap around my waist as I carry her through the maze to my favorite spot in the world.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

My cock is rock hard, carrying her against me. I was wearing nothing but my pants, and she was in a matching lace floral bra and panty set that was the color of lavender. It might be my favorite color I’ve ever seen her in. The pale purple hue complimented her eyes and made the black of her hair pop.

After carrying her deeper into the maze for a few minutes, we arrive right in the center. The sound of running water fills my ears, and I see her peaking up in interest, but she doesn’t look. Her chest is plastered against mine, and her eyes are connected to mine, unseeing the beauty around us.

“Close your eyes,” I murmur to her. She smiles, slowly shutting her eyes, and I stare at her for a moment, so unknowing and trusting. So, fucking beautiful. I carry her to the fountain in the middle, setting her on the edge of the cold stone. It was a four-tier fountain with cascading waters and white rose vines layered on the edge of each tier. The maze hedges in the center were gardened with floral vines trailing up them, lighting up the inside with whites, soft pinks, and even some nude shades of roses.

And there she was in the center, looking like some delicate nature goddess, with her floral underwear set and the dangling mossy earrings I gifted her. Her hair was naturally messy and getting even more so against the breeze.

I reach for the earrings, fingering them as I curl her hair behind her ear. “Open your eyes, little owl.”

She opens her eyes, her breath catching as she looks directly at me. Then, her gaze roams on the scenery around her and the fountain she’s sitting on. I wonder if she realized we were nearly three acres away from the house now.

“How do you have all this hidden here?” she breathes out. “It’s extraordinary.”

“It’s my hiding spot, and I go to it once I’ve exhausted myself. When all my work is over, or my internal battles are too much to bear. Until I met you, it was the only place I could relax.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“I told you,” I smile. I pull her to me again, my hand grasping her chin and meeting her gaze to mine. “And I’m going to fuck you in it.”

The shade of her skin deepens in a blush, almost covering her entire body. Her eyes have a new sparkle as she drops to her knees, catching me off guard.

Her hands slowly find my zipper, pulling it down. “What do you think you’re doing?” I ask her, despite my cock aching for her to keep going.

“Showing you how much I want you.”

I try to lift her back to her feet, but she slaps my hands away, making me chuckle. “You don’t have to show it to me that way.”

“I want to.” She yanks my pants down, letting them hang around my thighs. I hiss in pleasure as her palms coast over my bulging cock in my boxers.

“Cecilia,” I warn.

“Hush,” she bites back, slipping my boxers down. My cock bobs in front of her face, and I’m already too far gone to care. The sight of her wanting lips in front of my cock and her baby blue eyes looking up at me with so much mischief and desire had me needing to feel her mouth around me.

I run my hand through her curls. “You want my cock in that disobedient mouth of yours baby?” She nods, her fingers slowly trailing up my thighs in excitement. I fist it, angling it toward her mouth, unable to stop myself from stroking it as my head touches her lips. “Open up and take me on that sharp fucking tongue.”

Her eyes flame as she opens her mouth, sucking me inside. Her lips drag up and down my length, pulling my pleasure straight into her greedy mouth. “Mhmm,” she hums around me, and my head falls back in satisfaction, feeling my cock slide nearly down her throat.

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