Page 162 of Claiming Pretty

The couch creaked beneath us, the sound mingling with our heavy breaths and cries, the faint sound of waves crashing against the cliffs just audible through the thick glass windows.

I wrapped my legs tighter around him, pulling him closer, deeper, as I came hard.

My body convulsed around him as waves of ecstasy crashed over me, my muffled cries barely escaping past Ty’s hand and the panties in my mouth.

Ty shuddered against me as he came as well.

But even as I rode out my orgasm, stars exploding behind my eyelids, a realization hit me just as hard.

The second scent, the one that seemed so familiar…

Ty had laced my panties with a drug.

His hand fell away from my mouth and I spat my panties out.

But it was too late. The drug was already working its way through my body, making my thoughts heavy.

“Ty?” My voice wavered, weak and hoarse as I tilted my head to meet his eyes. “W-why did you d-drug m…”

His face softened, but his eyes—God, his eyes were distant, full of something final.

His hand moved to cradle my cheek, holding me asthough I were something precious, fragile. “Even if I’m not the one you love, I’d give my life to protect your happiness.”

A cold, sharp fear twisted in my stomach. I tried to push myself upright, but my arms refused to cooperate. “W-what—?”

I blinked furiously, fighting the encroaching darkness.

What was happening?

Oh God, was he going back for Ciaran on his own?

No.NO.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his breath warm against my temple. “For everything.”

A gasp escaped me, panic surging through my chest, wild and desperate when I realized he was saying goodbye.

My body betrayed me, collapsing in his arms. “T-ty, d-don’t—”

“I love you more,” he whispered. “And when I say ‘I love you more,’ I don’t just mean I love you more than he loves you or more than you love me—which I do. What I mean is… I love youmorethan any time, space, or distance that could ever separate us. I love you more than any flaws you think you have, more than any broken pieces or darkness in your heart. What I mean is… I love you more than I love myself. I love you more thaneverything.”

My lips trembled, trying to form the words that burned inside me.

I needed him to know. I needed him to hear me.

But my body wouldn’t obey. My lips wouldn’t move, my voice trapped in the heavy fog.

The room narrowed to a single point, to his pale-blue eyes, blackness swallowing the edges of my vision.

“Slán leat, mo ghrá,” he murmured, his breath ghosting over my skin.

Farewell, my love.

My heart screamed as everything else slipped away.

No. I loveyoumore. Mhaor, I choose—

But then there was only blackness.

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