Page 36 of Tempest

“It’s fine,” I managed, watching his face. The way he focused as he worked, as if I were the most important thing in his world, sent a shiver down my spine. “Tempest, I --”

“Don’t,” he cut me off, his voice tight. “Just… let me take care of you right now.”

I fell silent, mesmerized by the careful movements of his hands and the way his brow furrowed in concentration. This was a side of Tempest I’d never seen before, and it made my heart race in an entirely new way.

As he worked, Tempest’s voice dropped even lower, a rumble that seemed to vibrate through me. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” His words washed over me, soothing the jagged edges of my fear. I didn’t know why he kept repeating himself, unless he needed to say the words as much as I apparently needed to hear them.

I took a shaky breath, feeling the tension slowly bleed out of my muscles. “I know,” I whispered, surprised by how much I meant it. With Tempest here, I did feel safe. Protected. While part of me had wondered if he’d ever find me, if I’d ever see him or my family again, I knew that he would have torn the world apart to search for me. It was just the Dixie Reapers’ way.

His eyes flicked up to mine for a moment, dark and intense. “No one’s gonna hurt you again. I swear it.”

The conviction in his voice made my chest tighten. Without thinking, I reached out, my fingers brushing against the corded muscle of his forearm. “You already said that. I’m really okay now, Tempest. I’m back with you, and those men can’t hurt me. You don’t have to keep reassuring me everything is okay.”

Tempest went still at my touch. The air between us suddenly felt charged, electric. His gaze locked onto mine, and I saw something flare in those depths -- something that made my heart stutter and my breath catch.

For a long moment, neither of us moved. I could hear the pounding of my own pulse in my ears, feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. The world beyond this moment ceased to exist.

His eyes never left mine as he spoke, his voice low and rough. “I can’t do this anymore.”

My heart plummeted. “Do what?” I whispered, fear creeping back in.

He shook his head, frustration etched in every line of his face. “Pretend. Act like I don’t --” He broke off, his hands fisting. When he continued, his words came out in a rush. “I can’t live without you. I won’t. I’m done waiting, done holding back. I’m claiming you. Here and now. Fuck asking the club for their vote! When we get home, I’m telling them how it is, and to hell with whether or not they like it. I know your dad is going to be pissed as hell, and that’s fine. We’ll work it out.”

“I’d thought we would take things a little slower, but…” I stared at him, trying to process everything he’d said, and what I felt.

After years of longing, of thinking he barely noticed me… knowing I’d be his forever, filled me with a warmth I’d never experienced before.

“I’ve tried to make it as plain as possible. I clearly keep fucking that up.” Tempest’s voice was urgent, demanding. “You’re mine. I’ll keep you safe, protect you with everything I’ve got. But I need you to understand what that means.”

My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. I searched his face, seeing the raw emotion there, the vulnerability beneath his fierce exterior. This was Tempest laid bare, offering himself to me completely.

“I understand,” I whispered, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “I’ve always been yours. I just didn’t think you wanted me. Then when you showed interest, I was too afraid of complicating things.”

“Wantyou? Christ, Kasen, I’ve wanted you for so long it’s been tearing me apart. I wanted you even when I damn well shouldn’t have. Do you have any idea how much guilt I had over that? You were still a kid, only sixteen when I first took notice, but you didn’t fucking look like one.”

The air between us shifted, charged with electricity. Tempest leaned closer, his eyes boring into mine. I could see the struggle within him, the way he fought to maintain control even as his desire threatened to overwhelm us both.

“I need to know. Is this what you want? Because once I start, I won’t be able to stop. You ran before. If you run again, that’s it. I’ll let you go, and this time, I won’t chase after you.”

My breath caught in my throat. Years of longing, of stolen glances and secret dreams, had led to this moment. I searched his face, looking for any hint of doubt or hesitation. There was none. Only raw need and a fierce protectiveness that made my heart race.

“I --” My voice failed me. Words weren’t enough.

Tempest’s hand came up, fingers gentle as they traced my cheek. The tenderness of the gesture contrasted sharply with the intensity in his eyes. “Tell me. I need to hear it. Need the words.”

I swallowed hard, gathering my courage. This was Tempest -- the man I’d loved for so long. The one who’d just saved my life, who’d always been there, a steady presence even when I thought he didn’t see me.

My chin lifted. I met his gaze squarely and gave a small, deliberate nod.

“Say it,” he growled.

“Yes,” I whispered. “God, yes, Tempest. I want this. I want you.”

The world narrowed to a pinpoint as Tempest closed the distance between us. His lips brushed mine, featherlight at first, then with growing urgency. The kiss was a contradiction -- tender yet passionate, controlled yet wild. My hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer as the last barriers between us crumbled.

Tempest growled low in his throat, the sound vibrating through me. His fingers tangled in my hair, angling my head to deepen the kiss. I gasped, and he took advantage, his tongue sweeping into my mouth. The taste of him -- danger and something uniquely Tempest -- made my head spin.

“Kasen,” he murmured against my lips. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”

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