Page 46 of Wicked Dreams

“Icould stay like this forever,” I murmured, my fingers twined with Van’s. A sweet smiled tugged at his lips as he stared at me, our naked bodies still tangled around one another.

“You and me both, baby,” he answered, placing a tender kiss on the corner of my lips.

We lay staring at one another in silence for a long while. He unlaced our fingers so he could cup my breast, an affectionate look in his dark eyes.

“Van?”

“Livvy?”

“Um… I still feel like this is surreal. I don’t even know what I should be thinking. It’s unbelievable.”

“I know,” he replied, his voice soft. “But I swear to you I’m not a dream. Not anymore. I’m here. And it’s exactly where I want to be.”

“Buthow?” I ventured, nibbling my bottom lip.

He grew quiet, a pained expression crossing his handsome features.

“Do you want to hear a story?” he asked after a moment.

“Is it your story?”

“It’sourstory, Livvy.”

“Yes,” I breathed out, adjusting my body so I was on my side, staring into his eyes.

“Once upon a time…” He smiled at me, his fingers gently brushing my hair aside. “There was a beautiful princess named Olivia and a guard named Donovan.”

“Are you teasing me?” I scoffed at him.

“No. Absolutely not.” He gazed at me with wide, innocent eyes.

“Really?”

“Livvy, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound unbelievable. But trust me, it’s the absolute truth.”

“OK,” I replied, snuggling in to get comfortable. “Tell me everything.”

“I was a guard… To the devil.” His eyes searched mine for a moment as I tensed. I remained quiet, nervous, something churning in my guts as his eyes swept over me. “Youwere taken by the devil because you'd made a pact with him.”

A heat rushed through my body at the mention of a pact.

“Ruby,” I whispered, the name falling out of my mouth before I could stop it or understand it.

“Yes,” he breathed, his fingers quivering as he stroked my cheek gently. “You made a deal with the devil to save her. He brought you to Hell to be his queen because he was captivated by your beauty. He needed someone to guard you. Protect you. I was assigned the task.”

“Don’t touch her,” I murmured the words, feeling sick to my stomach.

“I couldn’t stop myself. I knew you wereitfor me the moment I saw you. I knew it was a bad idea. And I’msofucking sorry, Olivia. I’m sorry I didthisto us. Do you remember the last thing you said to me before you were cast from Hell?" He looked at me pleadingly, his dark eyes shimmering, his hand moving to my waist to pull me even closer to him.

My heart thudded unevenly in my chest as my skin grew hotter, sweat beading along my brow.

“Please remember, Livvy,” he pleaded. “I need you to.”

I squeezed my eyes together, blurry images swirling in my mind. Images that made my throat ache and my chest hurt.

“I’ll love you for eternity,” the words were a breathless whisper as I said them. I knew they were true. I knew it was real. A tear managed to escape from my closed eyes. There were only bits and pieces in my mind, but they were there.

When I managed to open my eyes, Van was staring back at me, his face twisted in sadness. He reached out and thumbed away my tears, his own shining in his eyes.

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