Page 51 of Volatile Vice

His voice trails off, and I can feel the tension stiffen his body.

“I’ll rest later.” I press a soft kiss against his chest. “Right now, I just want to be here with you.”

“But—”

“Vinnie,” I cut him off, leaning up to look him in the eyes. “This is what I need right now.”

He studies me for a moment before surrendering with a sigh.

I tangle my fingers through his hair once more, letting my eyelids grow heavy as I listen to the rhythmic thump of his heart. He strokes up and down my arm in slow, soothing motions, lulling me into a calm state.

“I love you, Raven.”

Tears well up in my eyes at his words, but I blink them back, not wanting to start crying now. After all we’ve been through, after everything that’s happened, those three words mean more to me than anything in this world.

“I love you too, Vinnie,” I whisper back, my voice choked with emotion.

16

VINNIE

There’s nothing I’d like more than to give Raven the rest she deserves, but I need to make sure her parents know she’s safe. After what happened at their home…

They must be freaking out.

Her eyes are closed, and she looks so peaceful, so serene. I feather my hands over the contours of her beautiful face. So creamy and smooth.

“Raven, baby?”

She opens her eyes. “Yeah? Did I fall asleep?”

I kiss her cheek. “You need to go home now.”

Her lip quivers. “I want to stay with you, Vinnie. You make me feel so safe.”

God, those words… If only they were true. There’s nothing I want more in the world than to keep this woman safe. This amazing woman whose life I care for more than my own.

But the fact of the matter is that she’s not safe with me. She’s in danger with me.

“Your parents are going to be worried about you. Especially in light of everything else that’s happened. But I don’t want you driving home alone.”

She frowns. “I made it here, didn’t I?”

“You did, but it will be dark soon. So what I need you to do right now, Raven, is to call your mother. She’s probably been trying to reach you. Let her know that you’re okay, and then I will drive you home. My driver, Fred, will follow us in my car. Then he’ll drive me back.”

She squints at the time on the alarm clock on the nightstand. “But it will be so late when you get back here.”

“That doesn’t matter, Raven. What matters is that you’re safe. I don’t want you driving all that way alone. You shouldn’t have done it today.”

“But Vinnie, I had to see you.”

I inhale slowly, run my fingers through my hair. “God, Raven. This is so hard for me. Why are you doing this?”

She drops her jaw, and I immediately regret my words.

I hold up a hand. “No, I’m not blaming you. It’s not your fault that you’re so wonderful and beautiful and I fell head over heels in love with you.” I sigh, looking down. “If only we hadn’t met.”

She gasps. “You don’t really mean that, do you?”

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