Page 36 of The Heart of Midnight

He hesitates, rubbing his chin. “I can’t really answer that. I didn’t start killing until after I met you, so I had almost thirty years of life without it. But now that I have, I don’t know if I can stop. I won’t lie to you.”

“What if you try? Let me be what you need, Midnight. Chase me, cut me, choke me, just hold me after and I’ll be okay. No one else has to get hurt, you were just waiting for me.”

I don’t know if either of us believe my words, but something deep inside of me makes me believe this can work. It has to, or everyone he kills from here on out will be on me. I’m the reason he’s not in jail.

“You want me to be Midnight, not Muerte,” he says slowly. “Forever. What if I can’t?”

“Then I’ll pull my Midnight back out of you. I won’t give up on you, Scarcello. I won’t.”

He stares into my eyes in that way that makes him seem he’s looking right through me. “How do you feel about The Maldives?”

“I feel great about The Maldives.” I lift myself up into his arms and smile when he catches me without hesitation. He caught me in more ways than one, but I need him to know I’ve caught him too. “I’d go anywhere with you.”

Squeezing me a little tighter, Scar mumbles, “Then go pack the things you can’t live without and grab your passport.”

“Okay.” I kiss him once, twice, three times before I let him set me down. I’m nervous to let him out of my sight because the suddenness of everything feels like a dream, like I’ll wake up tomorrow and none of it will have actually happened, but I refuse to drag my feet on the off chance this is real. “I’ll be right back.”

He grabs my arm when I turn to leave, then steps in close just to remind me how big he is. “It’s too late to back out, Avery. Do you understand?”

A shiver shoots up my spine at his words, and somehow I know he’s saying he’d find me no matter where I tried to run. “I understand.”

“Then go. Hurry back.”

Pulling away is hard, but I manage to put one foot in front of the other as I rush to my house to pack up my suitcase. I meant what I said. I don’t care where we move to as long as that man stays by my side and realizes that I really can be enough for him.

He doesn’t fucking need anyone else.

Twenty-Three

Scar

I’m not sure I remember how to breathe at all until the boat docks on Maldives soil and my boots hit the sand. I’m untouchable here as long as I keep my nose clean, and if Avery meant half of what she said, I believe she can be enough for me.

I know she can. She’s all I ever wanted, the reason I started killing in the first place. She is my light, my darkness, my future. What else could I need?

“I’m never getting on another fucking boat again,” she grumbles, her hand on her stomach as nausea coils through her hard enough to have her looking green.

Oops.

“Sorry. Had to hire someone who likely wouldn’t remember us once we disembarked and the drunk guy seemed like our best bet. Are you okay?” I ask, holding her steady. “Take a deep breath, baby.”

“No, I’m not okay. Asshole was hammered, I swear he was rocking that stupid death floaty on purpose.”

I’ve honestly never seen her grouchier in all the time I’ve known her, which feels like a loss.

She’s adorable.

“Stupid death floaty?” I tease. “I told you to sit on my lap. I’d have kept you steady.”

She groans, moving to climb into my lap like it might help her now, so I tuck her head against my neck and carry her across the beach. “Just breathe, pretty girl. This was a long trip but you can sleep soon.”

“Why was the plane ride a million hours?” she whines. “There should be much faster ways this day in age.”

I don’t miss the small breath she takes in release as she clings to me even tighter, so I keep my voice soft. “I’m sorry, baby. We flew into India so there wouldn’t be a direct link to us here, just in case an extradition treaty is ever signed. Flying overseas like that takes time, even now. I promise you’ll never have to do it again.”

“Good,” she breathes. “I would again if I had to though... for you.”

My sweet, innocent Avery. One day, she may wake up and realize she’s made a terrible mistake, but by then, it’ll be too late. She’s already here with me and I don’t plan on letting her keep that passport once we’ve got our visas.

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