Page 61 of Pose for Me

River's eyes soften for a moment, a flicker of vulnerability passing across his features before it's swallowed by his usual wicked grin. "You're too good for this world, aren't you?" he murmurs, tracing the contour of my cheek with his thumb.

But that's not all. The words tumble out of me, raw and unfiltered. "I wish I could hunt down your drug-addicted parents," I continue, my voice growing harder, colder. "I want to cut them to pieces for how they treated you. For betraying you, for selling you like you were nothing more than a commodity."

His hand slides to my throat, not squeezing, just resting there. I can feel my pulse thundering against his palm.

"And what else?" he prompts, his voice thick with anticipation. "What other deliciously violent thoughts are dancing through that sexy mind?"

"That dealer," I hiss, baring my teeth in a feral snarl. "I wish I could slaughter him for daring to think he could touch you, or any of those other boys. I'd make him suffer, River. I'd take my time, peeling back his skin inch by agonizing inch. I'd carve my rage into his flesh, make him feel every ounce of pain and terror he inflicted on those innocent children."

My voice grows darker, a vicious edge creeping in as I continue. "I'd gouge out his eyes, slowly, so the last thing he'd see is my face, twisted with hatred and disgust. I'd cut out his tongue so he couldn't beg for mercy. And then, when he's nothing but a broken, bleeding mess, I'd leave him for the rats. Let them feast on him while he's still alive, still able to feel every gnawing bite."

River's eyes darken with lust, his pupils blown wide. A low, guttural groan escapes his throat, the sound vibrating through his chest. "Fuck, Rayne," he growls, his voice thick with desire. "Do you have any idea how hot that makes me? How much I want to bend you over right now and fuck you senseless?"

His hand tightens slightly on my throat, not enough to restrict my breathing, but enough to make me acutely aware of his strength, his control. "The things I want to do to you," he purrs, his voice a low, seductive rumble. "You are absolutely fucking perfect for us. Do you know that? Do you have any idea how rare it is to find someone who not only accepts our darkness but embraces it? Who matches it with her own?"

He leans in close, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he speaks. "You're like a dark goddess come to life, all soft curves and razor-sharp edges. Your beauty is intoxicating, but it's your mind–that deliciously twisted, brilliantly creative mind–that truly captivates us."

River's free hand traces the skin of my waist, his touch feather-light yet electrifying. "The way your eyes light up when we talk about violence, about retribution... it's breathtaking. You don't shy away from the ugliness of the world. You see it, understand it, and want to shape it to your will. Just like us. You can't hide it from us, Rayne. We see you. All of you. The light and the dark, the sweet and the savage. And we fucking love every inch of it."

He pulls back slightly, his eyes locking with mine. There's a vulnerability there that I've never seen before, a raw honesty that makes my heart clench.

"You know," he says softly, breaking off another piece of the cupcake, "as much as I hated those experiences at the time, they made me who I am today." He brings the morsel to my lips, and I accept it, savoring the sweet, spiced flavor as he continues, his voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and hard-won wisdom. "The pain, the fear, the anger–they all shaped me, forged me into the man I am now."

His fingers trail along my jawline, a feather-light touch that sends shivers down my spine. "I used to dream about changing my past, about having a normal childhood with loving parents and a white picket fence. But now?" He shakes his head, a wry smile playing at his lips. "Now I wouldn't change a single moment."

River's hand moves to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing gently over my skin. "Because every hardship, every moment of darkness, led me here. To this exact point in time and space. To Knox. And to you, Rayne."

His eyes lock with mine, intense and unwavering. "This, us, it's not just chance or coincidence. It's destiny. Everything I've been through, everything I've done, it was all leading me to you two."

As River's words sink in, I feel something shift deep within me. It's as if a final piece of a complex puzzle has clicked into place, revealing a picture I've always known was there but couldn't quite see. The realization washes over me like a tidal wave, powerful and all-consuming.

Love.

It's not just obsession or lust or even a deep connection. It's love, pure and fierce and terrifying in its intensity. A part of me has loved Knox since that first day in the foster home, when his haunted eyes met mine and I saw a kindred spirit. But we're not those same lost children anymore. We've grown, changed, been shaped by the darkness and pain of our pasts.

And River... he completes us in a way I never knew was possible. He's the missing piece, the balance to Knox's intensity, the spark to my smoldering flame. Together, we form a perfect trinity, a three-sided puzzle that fits together flawlessly.

The emotion swells in my chest, threatening to overflow. I want to tell them, to shout it from the rooftops, but the words stick in my throat. How can I possibly articulate the depth of what I'm feeling?

As if sensing the frenzy of emotions coursing through me, River's expression softens. His thumb traces my cheekbone again, a tender gesture that belies the darkness we were just reveling in moments ago.

"I see it in your eyes, little Rayne," he murmurs, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "But don't worry, I won't make you say it. Not yet."

His words send a wave of relief washing over me. I'm not ready to voice these feelings aloud, not when they're still so new and overwhelming. River seems to understand this, his eyes twinkling with a mix of mischief and tenderness. Instead he breaks off another piece of the cupcake, holding it to my lips.

"You know," he says softly as I take the bite, "Knox never told me much about how you ended up in foster care. He always said it was your story to tell, if you ever wanted to."

I swallow hard, the sweetness of the cupcake turning to ash in my mouth as River's words stir up my own painful memories. Taking a deep breath, I begin to share my own story.

"I’m sure Knox has told you his story, my story isn't so different from his," I say softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I had a loving mother, but my father..." I trail off, the words sticking in my throat. River's hand comes up to cup my cheek, his touch grounding me.

"My father was an abusive asshole," I continue, drawing strength from River's steady gaze. "He'd beat my mother regularly. She never fought back, never defended herself. I used to be so angry with her for that, for just taking it. But later, I learned why."

I close my eyes, remembering the fear in my mother's eyes, the bruises she'd try to hide with makeup and long sleeves. "He threatened to turn on me if she ever fought back. So she endured it, suffered in silence to protect me."

River's thumb strokes my cheek gently, encouraging me to continue. I lean into his touch, grateful for the comfort.

"For years, it went on like that. My mother shielding me from the worst of it, taking the brunt of his anger and violence. But then..." I pause, my breath catching in my throat. "Then he decided he wanted a piece of me too."

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