Page 84 of Instinct & New Identity

“I know my words might not be enough, butIneed you to hear this,”Ibegan to convey. “IthoughtIwas protecting you by leaving.Myjob is dangerous, and the idea of you getting hurt because of it was somethingIcouldn’t live with.ButIhurt you anyway by not talking to you.Youdeserved a chance to decide what you could handle.Isee that now, andI’msorry.”

I knew this would be make or break for me, soIwent for it.Ijust hoped it worked.

“I can’t promise you thatIwon’t be an idiot again and say something stupid, butIcanpromise you this…”Ipaused, taking a chance by walking up closer to her to cup her face in my hands. “Iwon’t make decisions for the both of us again.Notwithout talking to you first.Idon’t want to lose you.Ilove you,Cat.I’llspend every day proving that to you if you’re still willing to be with me.I’mso sorry for the painIcaused.Canyou forgive me?”

After getting everything off my chest,Iwaited.Waitedfor her to either give me another chance or tell me to get lost.Shesaid nothing.Shestood there staring at me, andIfelt a hollow, sinking feeling right beneath my sternum.

“I’ve dealt with loss beforeVincebut this hurt was different,” she spoke quietly. “Don’tshut me out again.”

“I won’t, baby.Iswear.”

“I get it.Itried to do the same thing to you when we thought it was related to my parents’ murders.Fromnow on, we both agree to talk it through with each other before we make decisions.”

Joy ripped through me at the realization that my woman was back.Sheforgave me.Ikissed her hard, hoping to convey my appreciation for this second chance through my kiss.

A loud cough interrupted us, andIrememberedValwas still there.

“You good, sis?” she askedCat.

“Yeah,”Catsaid toValbefore she turned back to me. “Reallygood.”

This time,shekissedme.Itfelt good to have her back in my arms.

“I’ll just let myself out,”Valyelled from a distance. “Havefun, kids!”

33

CAT

I heard the door slam as my sister left, butIdidn’t look back because my mouth was still attached toVince’s.I’dbeen worried about coming here becauseIknew if he asked for forgiveness,Iwould give it to him.Itold myselfIwould argue with him and make him work for it, but in the endIcaved.Iunderstood why he did what he did.Ihad tried to do the same thing.

Vince lifted me up and began to carry me back to his bedroom.Ibroke the kiss and looked down at him.

“I love you,Cat.”

“I love you too,V.”

He didn’t throw me down on the bed or rip my clothes off.Instead, he took his time.

There was something different now.Therewas no urgency.Notbecause there wasn’t a desire for it, but because he seemed to cherish it as though he appreciated this second chance and wanted to revel in it.

He must have felt the same intensityIdid, because he put his hand to my face and spoke softly. “You’remine,Cat.Alwaysand forever.”

He kissed me deeply, andIsavored the feel of his body melding with mine.Theconnection was deeper this time, though.Moremeaningful.Thisman meant everything to me, andIneeded him to know it.

As he grinded against me,Iclosed my eyes, trying to relish every touch and kiss.WhenIopened my eyes,Imet his gaze.Agaze that was intense, speaking volumes, conveying what we both felt, but didn’t know how to say.Theworld around us seemed to fade away.

I came—hard.Ifelt likeIleft my body.Everysensation felt new to me.Peopletalk about this euphoric bliss phase.I’dread about it in some of my romance novels too but never experienced it myself.Untilnow.

AsIcame back to earth,Ilooked up atVince.Hepumped into me with an increasingly frantic pace, as though he couldn’t control himself.Iloved thatImade him lose control.

His voice boomed as his release rippled through him.Heplaced his forehead on mine as he spoke softly. “Bestthing that ever happened to me—my,Kit-Cat.”

I closed my eyes and felt his words to my soul before saying, “Andyou’re mine,V—just as we were always meant to be.”

EPILOGUE

CAT

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