Page 31 of Shattered Hearts

“You think it’s that easy? When I look into your eyes and let them consume me, when you laugh and it hits me like a shot of heroin, when your pussy can milk every last drop out of my cock, do you think it will be so easy to love somebody else?”

He slides into me, and I’m ready, ready for him to fill this stupid empty cavern that threatens to suffocate me. I raise my hips to meet his thrusts, and the tip of his cock slams into the center of my body, bruising me.

“Fuck you if you think so little of me, Zarah. You’re mine, and nothing in the world will change that.”

He licks his thumb and rubs my clit. I don’t need much to fall over the edge, and it’s a different experience entirely to orgasm while his cock is inside me. The pleasure is so good it almost hurts, and he pounds into me until he comes, my body begging for more.

“Fuck you if you think I can just walk away,” he gasps into my ear, his voice cracking, and he hugs me to him, crying into my hair.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I murmur, running my hands over his back and shaking shoulders. “I’m sorry.” He lifts his head, his face wet, and I kiss the tears off his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t leave me. Not because of this,” he pleads, covering my face with a flurry of kisses.

“I promise.”

“I’m sorry if I was too rough.”

“I liked it.” It’s amazing that’s not a lie. There wasn’t an ounce of cruelty in the way he made love to me, only desperation and fear I’d follow through with my feeble threat.

“Good.” He kisses my lips hard and rolls out of bed.

The dog bounces into the room, and I still can’t remember her name.

Gage will stay by my side until this ends.

One way or the other.

I should be happy he loves me that much, as surely the rest of my life will be hell, and hell is a cold, lonely place. Deep down, I know Gage is only human. He’ll only be able to tolerate so much until he won’t be able to stand any more.

I clean up in the bathroom and put my clothes back on. My body is sore, but not a bad sore, not like I associate with the morningsafter a night Ash sold me. There are no bruises on my skin, there isn’t semen leaking out of my body to mix with the blood from the tears around my vagina.

My ribs are still a little tender, but I did so much lying around after that night I fell down Gage’s stairs, captive in my own house, that most of the pain eased after only a few days. Even for the rough way Gage made love to me because I pissed him off, he was still gentle, and the aches now are a pleasant reminder of what we spent the afternoon doing.

Using his brush, I untangle my hair. My makeup is ruined, but I have a feminine pride in that. I wanted the bee-stung lips and cheeks stained from physical exertion and not blush. My skindoessparkle, a post-sexual glow caused by hormones, sweat, and well, a rocking orgasm. Oh, and his scruff. Mmm.

Gage is waiting in the kitchen, and he turns the tap on and fills a glass with water. He watches me drink it, looking for a sign I meant what I said. I gave him his chance to get out of here, and he didn’t take it. I can always tell him I told you so.

“Are we good?” he asks, putting my glass in the dishwasher.

“Yes. I’m sorry I made you cry.”

“You always will whenever you talk about leaving me.”

It was a shock to hear a grown man cry. I mean, a man who looks like Gage. Zane cries. Sometimes I hear him in his study, his arms muffling his sobs as he cradles his head on his desk, but he’s my brother and I see him as a softer example of the male species, whereas Gage is all testosterone, muscle, and aggression. Maybe that’s not fair, but if you could see Gage for yourself, him crying would be a surprise to you, too.

“I just wanted—”

“I know what you wanted, and I appreciate it, I do. But no more talk, okay? It’s nothing I want to think about anymore.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s grab some food. I changed our reservation. She had to do a little dancing around, but she managed to keep a table for us.”

“Where are we going?”

“The Sunflower. Do you know it?”

I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never eaten there. It’s been open for several years, but before Ash started selling me, I wasn’t interested in eating at a place I would have considered dull and boring and since Zane brought me home from Quiet Meadows, I’ve been too busy trying to put my life together to eat at the sunny restaurant.

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