Page 258 of Quinlan

Quinlan’s thumbs are soft on my skin. Her reverent touch is sweet.

I fucking love her hands. I love covering her wrists and feeling her pulse.

She’s alive.

There’ll be time and place for my wrath.

Soon.

“Yes, you did, little flame.” I put my forehead to hers. “I’m so proud of you.”

Rome would want to hold her. He already does. I have words to say, though, and so I push them out there.

“I’ve come to terms with the scar on my face. With how it’s changed me. Why it’s there in the first place, it’s all done now. Today…” The breath I draw is hot, but the air doesn’t burn my throat. The corners of my eyes don’t sting. “I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful for each painful second. For every time I was mocked and ridiculed—”

“Liam.”

“Shh. Let me finish. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Quinlan.” My fingers dig deeper into her wrists. Desperate for her pulse.Ta-dum. Ta-dum. Ta-dum.So fucking strong. “I have you. I have us. I would have my entire body covered in scars if it meant I get to have this”—I crush my lips to hers for one last bruising kiss—“for all goddamn eternity.”

“You wouldn’t need to,” she breathes. “I’m yours. Forever.”

“Ours.” Rome is all violence. It’s pulsing from him. He’s had enough waiting, and he’s right. I release her for him to whirl her into his embrace. His fingers are in her hair, inspecting her. Inspecting the swelling. “You’re ours. Always.”

He growls at the wound. Glowers at it.

“My trophy.” Quinlan raises her fingertips to it, and I hate how it must hurt. I hate how she smiles through the pain. She’ll never hurt again unless it’s us administering it. “For fucking them up. Our boxing classes were worth it.”

“You…” He shakes his head while Damien and I split our attention between them and the worthless pieces of shit who dared kidnapping her. “You’reworth it, sweetheart. I’d been so lost. So angry. A ticking time bomb, ready to detonate. Until I saw you. Until I had you.”

“I don’t want you to change.” She sounds confused. “Don’t change for me.”

“I won’t.” His rough laugh is the happiest he’s ever sounded. “I’m different, though. You’re a balm to my soul. The tar, the poison, the hurt. They’re gone. Quinlan, you take away the pain.You put love in there. I don’t want to kill people as much when you’re around. I just wantyou.”

“Rome, I—”

There’s rustling coming from the car.

“What—what is this?” A man’s groan. Rex’s.

“That bitch.” Aria’s anger is muffled.

They’re up.

Rome shoves Quinlan behind his back in an instant. He’s a shield between her and the threat.

Damien reaches for Rex. I squeeze in through the passenger door to get to Aria.

I’m more than happy to watch the horror and indignance in her black eyes and how they flutter shut when I knock her out with one blow to her cheek.

“Hey there, Rex.”

“Get the fuck off me.”

Damien laughs, the sound humorless. Abrasive.

“Lights out, motherfucker.”

Waterboarding is illegal.

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