Page 67 of Ink Deep Devotion

Anders is our top suspect in the murder because of his past with Leo’s sister. Leo’s dad had planned to auction her off in marriage to gain more power. Naturally, Leo won’t confront Anders about it—doing so would mean thanking him, and that’s something he’d never do. Leo and Anders are always at each other’s throats, their relationship resembling that of siblings who fight constantly but would still sacrifice everything for each other. It’s that classic‘only I can mess with him’dynamic.

“No. I’m not tired.” Mila responds with a shaking voice.

I exhale a weighted breath. I love her fight, remembering it the first time I met her. The only way to subdue that fire was to smother it with a kiss.

If only I could do that now…

I turn, preparing to be cruel, but she bridges the gap, her movement reflecting a ballerina’s leap, jumping directly into me. Arms and legs wrap around me as she hugs me, and then…heaven. My strength dies when she forces her mouth to mine and cups my face in her tiny, trembling hands.

A simple kiss, the kind you would place on a dying lover who is suffering, and you would rather they depart from this world than breathe in another anguished breath. A kiss to send them off to the afterlife, a kiss to promise them you will wait for them until you’re united.

It’s so bittersweet.

Love and acceptance. Like when a warrior falls on his sword willingly. She makes me feel like her samurai committing Seppuku. It’s the only way I can restore honor to us.

We both have to die in order to start over, but how can we accept that fate when we are each too stubborn to stop inhaling each other?

How do I forgive her when her actions were my fault? I admit it now. She wasn’t in the wrong when she fucked Dom, but…it wassowrong.

She was mine, my first. The only girl I had slept with, and at the time, I was the same for her.

Then I pushed until she was broken, and Dom scooped her up and tainted her heart.

Dom knew in order to break me, he had to hurt Mila, so he did.

It was my fault.

It’s all my fault, and I can’t fix it. I can’t tell her I forgive her and that there is nothing to forgive. I have to keep pushing and hoping no one believes I love her.

My fingers push into her flesh. When did I grab her?

Wait! Stop!

I pull her off and set her down.

And then I look her dead in the eye for the first time in two years.

Chapter 24

Mila

His eyes shift to a new shade of blue with tiny smears of hazel in the center, like a fire about to flare into a blaze so scalding it will melt everything from my flesh to bones.“You don’t know what you’re doing, little fox.” His voice is a turbulent mixture of malice and craving.

I know exactly what I’m doing.

I’m finally doing what Damian suggested. Yes, it took me months to build the courage, but also time to watch and learn. I studied Dash so I could become him.

The problem is that I’m not soulless. When I hurt others, it hurts me, too. But I’ll endure it as long as I can and pray that it will make Dash realize he still loves me. One last fight to see if love can prevail over hate.

I’ve been enjoying my art classes and making new friends, and yes, at times, I have fun, but I know my smile can only widen when Dash looks at me again, just like he is now.

“You’re smiling like you won something.” He drums his fingers against his side. I know they want to reach out and grabme, but he combats it.“You have nothing but my disdain." he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

I feel my eyes want to water. They itch and beg me to let them cry. Instead, I lick my lips, his eyes chasing the movement of my tongue.

“You,” I swallow and grind my teeth, making sure I don’t stutter from fear,“you can go now. I got want I wanted.”Turn around. Yes! You did it.I walk to his bed and pull back the covers, hearing his breath increase.

“And what is it you wanted, little fox?” He growls, his voice so deep and husky it makes my legs tremble.

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