Page 590 of Rage

My eyes roam over her as I approach, desire and reverence fighting for dominance within me. “You’re so beautiful, Raine,” I profess, my voice husky with raw emotion. “So fucking perfect.”

A blush creeps up her cheeks, contrasting against the grim scene, and she turns to me, confusion flickering in her eyes as she takes in the blanket. My heart races—fueled by theadrenaline of what had just happened and the depths of what we both needed.

“Do you trust me, Raine?” I question, stepping closer, my fingers tracing a path down her arm. Her skin quivers under my touch, the warmth igniting a defiant spark in the cold air.

She nods, biting her bottom lip, and my breath hitches. It’s incredible that after everything she’s been through, she’s entrusting me in this moment. I can’t help but wonder if I even deserve a goddess like her, wrapped in shadows yet glowing with fierce life.

I open the blanket wide and spread it over the frozen ground, pushing Raine down gently to wait. I can still feel the intensity of her gaze on me, passion and fear woven together.

“Wait for me,” I murmur, throwing a glance over my shoulder. The snow crunches under my feet as I walk over to her father. I pause for a moment, allowing the weight of what he’s done to settle on my conscience. My foot rests solidly on his chest as I dig my fingers into his blood-soaked garment, pulling the arrow from his bloodied eye socket with a sickening squelch.

Once the dripping shaft is free, I kick the fucker as hard as I can. The body rolls over, face buried in the snow, he won’t see what’s mine. My voice is low and menacing as I growl, “Even dead, he won’t see what’s mine.”

When I turn back to Raine, that Firefly light is strong in her eyes, illuminating the tumult swirling within me. It ignites something primal; a fire that pulses through my veins, fierce and relentless. I don’t waste a second; I’m on her in an instant, my lips crashing against hers.

“Hux—er, Cole,” she whimpers against my mouth, the sound making me groan with longing. I hold her close, feeling her warmth seep through the layers that separate us.

I need her to understand—it’s not just lust. It’s a promise, a commitment in this chaos we call our lives.

"I've killed for you, and I'd do it a million times over," I promise, my voice steady, imbued with an intensity that surprises even me. There is no hesitation in my tone, no second thoughts; it is a vow cast in blood and fire, one that echoes deep within my soul.

“The only danger you’ll ever face is me.” My declaration hangs heavy in the air, and I mean it. The world could go to hell, but I would lay waste to it to keep her safe.

It’s a love borne from shadows and peril—a bond that feels indestructible and devastating all at once. I cradle her face in my hands, a gesture both possessive and tender.

“Firefly,” I call her, the name rolling off my tongue like a clandestine secret, steeped in the warmth of my affection.

With palpable tension crackling in the air, I reach out, fingers brushing along her jawline, and she leans into my touch, craving my proximity.

In that moment, the remnants of our surroundings fade; the ticking clock of impending danger, the weight of bloodshed, all blur into a haze. All that exists is the magnetism pulling us together. Beneath it all lies a simmering passion, wild and untamed.

“You’re mine,” I whisper, my lips grazing her ear softly, igniting goosebumps across her skin.

"No one can take me from you," she breathes, her electric blue eyes locking onto mine, fierce resolve igniting a spark between us.

“I’ll scorch the fucking earth to prove it,” I vow, my grip tightening like a brand around her neck; a promise that can’t be broken—a bond forged in fire, raw and fearsome. Every word is a spark, igniting a blaze that threatens to consume us both. Yet, here in the heart of chaos, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Cole,” she whispers, a blend of affection and awe dancing in her voice.

I pull back slightly, searching her eyes for any hint of fear; all I find is unyielding trust and a wild desire that mirrors my own.

“Take it all off, Raine. I need to see every inch of you,” I demand, my voice growing hoarse with longing. My mind blanks, and all rational thought evaporates as the sight of my beautiful goddess begins to undress. She unzips my jacket that she is wearing revealing the milky flesh of her breasts and waist.

I’m enthralled, panting at the sight of her sheer beauty. Raine pushes down her jeans, kicking off her boots in the process. Her smooth skin, now uncovered, pebbles with chill bumps under my gaze. So fucking beautiful, soft and silken, and completely mine. I long to touch and taste, to imprint every moment forever.

Before she can react, I rip her shirt, letting it fall between us, leaving her utterly exposed. She sits there, breathless, her eyes wide and laced with shock but then delicious anticipation, and in response, she leans forward to undo my jacket, pulling it from my shoulders.

Her slender hands slip under the hem of my shirt, her fingertips igniting a trail of fire as they roam over my abs before helping to pull the fabric over my head.

She looks at me expectantly, and I can't resist the urge to touch her skin first. I want to memorize every dip, every curve, the essence of her.

With a desperate need, I lean in, ghosting my fingers across her sides, feeling her shiver beneath my touch. The way she bites her bottom lip urges me on, heightening the craving that simmers just beneath the surface.

“Every inch of you is perfection, Firefly,” I murmur, the sincerity spilling into the air between us. My hands explore further, mapping her body as if it were the very terrain I’d fight for. My gaze drinks in her beauty, and I can hardly believe she’s real.

“Cole…” she breathes my name, the sound like music, laced with longing.

My heart races in tandem with the primal urge outside of us. I want—need her in a way that transcends flesh, that digs deeper than mere desire. I want to consume her, envelop her until nothing remains but the echoes of our hearts, pounding against the tyranny of fate.

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