Page 50 of Theirs to Rule

He slipped his fingers out of me, causing a mournful whimper to leave me. As I slumped back against the wall, Kage stalked over to the small crowd that had gathered.

“Out,” he ordered. “You’re not watching her come, but if you’re lucky, you’ll hear her.”

There was a grumble around the gathered crowd but then Kage took a step forward, his eyes darkening. The crowd took the hint. They quickly vacated the room without another word. The guy closest to the door started to protest, but Kage grabbed him by the arm and shoved him outside. He kicked the door shut before turning back to me and tearing the remnants of my costume off me. He captured my lips in a searing kiss.

“There’s nothing sexier in this world than watching you come, Rebel,” Kage growled. He propped me up against the wall and started fingering me again. I groaned with pleasure. “Fuck, the look on your face right now…I so badly want to slide my cock inside your wet pussy and fuck you.”

My body began to shake in his arms. Arousal built up inside me like a tidal wave, crashing to the shore, then all at once, I began to orgasm. He cupped my chin with his free hand, forcing me to look at him as I came

“You’re so wet, dripping all over my fingers. Everything about you is perfect.”

My breathing was labored, my body lit up like a Christmas tree.

Afterward, when I began to recover, however, my doubts and embarrassment immediately raised their heads. Tears started leaking from my eyes, and with a rough noise, Kage began kissing my tears away.

“Fuck, don’t cry, baby. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m trying to fight for you. Yes, our relationship is messy as fuck, but we love each other.”

I turned my head to the side. He'd said it repeatedly now. He loved me. And I was starting to believe it. But it didn't matter. “Love isn’t enough. Not for us.”

Kage laid his forehead on mine. “Maybe it’s not enough for forever, but for right now, it’s everything.” He kissed me, his mouth tender and lingering, and I couldn't help but kiss him back.

Finally, he held me, our hearts beating in perfect rhythm.

"I have to get out of here," I finally said. “Please.”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“We can…we can talk later.”

“Do you swear it?”

I nodded. It was clear I was helpless when it came to him. My pride was no match for how he made me feel. I didn’t know what that meant for us, but I was willing to talk it out since trying to push him away obviously wasn’t working. “Yes.”

Kage nodded then stepped back. He slipped off his costume shirt, revealing his muscular chest. I gasped when I saw the scar Davis's bullet and Kage's surgery left behind. The scar was jagged and angry, still red and swollen, tracing a violent path just beneath his pecs. It wasn’t a clean line—it twisted like it had fought to close, a brutal reminder of how close he'd come to losing his life. The skin around it was taut, raw, and still healing, as if his body hadn't quite forgiven him for checking out of thehospital early. It looked painful, like it burned with every breath he took. But Kage acted like it was nothing. Like the wound didn’t even register. He didn’t flinch as I reached out, my fingers hovering just above the wound. I let out a sound so mournful, he kissed me again.

"I'm okay, Camille. The only wound hurting me is the thought of losing you."

He tugged the shirt over me. It engulfed me, but wearing something he gave me felt so comforting.

He caught my gaze, a soft challenge in his eyes. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was engaged. I’m sorry my life isn’t the kind of life where we can be together forever. But if I had that option, baby, it would be you I’d pick. Every damn time.”

I felt the sincerity in his words like tiny explosives going off inside me. When he turned away from me, I caught his arm. “I love you, Kage. Despite everything, I’d pick you again, too. I just…it hurts, knowing she’s going to have you when I’ll have only had you for such a short time.”

“Our time together might be short, but it will sustain me for a lifetime.”

I swallowed hard. “Do you promise…if I agree to see you again. Do you promise that while we’re together you won’t be with her or any other woman?”

Hope flashed across his expression. “I swear it, Camille.”

I nodded, my heart still fractured but settling into the wreckage. “Okay. I—I need to be by myself tonight. Give me that. But tomorrow…”

“Yes?”

“Tomorrow…come home. We’ll talk.”

He swept me into his arms and hugged me tight. “Coming home to you is all I’ve wanted since I woke up in that hospital bed, Camille.” He kissed me hard and though what I was feelingwas too intense to smile or laugh, I wasn’t immune enough not to feel joy.

It was going to hurt like a bitch when we were over, but I already hurt.

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