Page 19 of His Fate

Kissing me like I'm the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

Kissing me like he loves me.

Kai backs us up until my ass hits a tree and when I gasp, his tongue sweeps inside my mouth.

Fuck, this is the kiss to end all kisses and if we keep going I'm likely to beg him to take me right here in front of Mr. Newman's front porch.

"Josephine..." Kai growls, his teeth raking over my bottom lip before his mouth dips and he bites my shoulder a little harder. "Posey, my beloved, do not give me up."

And just like that, the spell is broken.

I pull back in his grip, push at his chest to put space between us as tears instantly well in my eyes.

How could I be so stupid? Let this man, this stranger, kiss me like that when I know damn well I have nothing to offer him. That is not how you kiss someone you only want to sleep with and unfortunately, that's all I could give him. But Kai deserves more than that.

A tear, a stupid, fat, hairy tear rolls down my cheek and I feel like someone is ripping my heart right out of my chest as I sidestep around him.

"I shouldn't have let you do that." My chest aches, aches so fucking much that I can barely breathe. "You should go home, Kai. Just… just go home."

His hand snakes around my arm, spinning me to face him but I can't look him in the eye. "I will not."

"Fine but… let me go. You can do whatever you want, just let me go."

He does as I ask but walks around and blocks my path. Kai pins me with glowing golden-red eyes as he walks me back toward his bike.

"I will never let you go, Josephine." He cups my cheek and forces my eyes on him as he wipes away the now endless tears. "You are mine and the sooner you accept that the better. For both of us."

I roll my eyes, or try to anyway, but they're leaking so bad that it's hard to do. "You know nothing about me just like I know nothing about you. I don't even know why I'm crying."

"You are crying because somewhere in the back of your mind you know you belong to me just as I belong to you and denying that is breaking your heart."

And because he's exactly right, I cry harder.

"My beloved, please." Kai drops his forehead to mine and runs his hands up and down my arms until our fingers entwine. "Please don't give me up, don't push me away. I know you feel it." He lifts our hands to his chest and holds them to his heart. "Josephine..."

My name is like a plea and a prayer and a promise all rolled into one, whispered against my lips.

I take a shuddering breath and close my eyes. "I don't understand any of this."

"I know, but you don't have to, not now. Just believe in it, believe in this connection between us. Don't deny it, please. Give us a fair chance to explore the undeniable spark we obviously share."

"There is so much… so many reasons why this couldn't work, Kai. I'm not… I can't be… I'm not good—"

"No," he grinds out, hand coming up to firmly grip my neck while the other keeps my hands over his heart. "I cannot listen to you speak this nonsense about how I deserve better or different, how you're not good enough or have nothing to offer me. I don't have to know you well to know that you are perfect for me." He presses a kiss to my forehead then leans his against it again. "You are my equal, my perfect match and I want you, need you in my life."

"Kai..."

"Kasimir," he whispers. "My name is Kasimir."

For whatever reason, hearing his full name crumbles my resolve. I don't tell him that but it does and I know there is no way I can deny this man anything. It doesn't mean he won't break my heart when he realizes all I have time for is work and my dad, but there is no way I can stay away from him.

But before I give in completely, I need him to know what it means to be in any kind of relationship with me.

"Ok," I whisper. "But I have three questions I need you to answer for me first."

Kai sighs deeply and nods his head against mine. "Ask me anything, my beloved."

"Do you always kiss like that?"

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