Page 129 of Mariposa
Slap.
“I saw you die!”
Slap across his arm.
“I—”
I raise my hand to slap him again, but he catches it in the air. He pulls me in and crashes his body against mine. His mouth collides with mine, mid-scream. He silences me with a violently beautiful kiss. At first, I fight him, but he just holds me tighter, stealing the air right from my lungs. I’m full on shuddering when I decide to press my lips back onto his. He spears his tongue inside my mouth, and I welcome it. We hold each other tightly as rain continues to hit us. Our lips dance together in a perfect duet.
I push him away and break. Even though it pains me to do it, I need to. He needs to start talking and give me answers. How did he get here? Why wasn’t I told? I’m going to kill Slater when I see him!
When we separate, I study his broad stature. There are visible cuts all around his face and neck. Injuries he didn’t have when I last saw him…
Was he captured?
“Explain!” I shout, pointing my finger at him. He yanks me until my chest collides with his ribs. He grabs me by the throat and tightens his grip dominantly. A beautiful smirk unfolds across his mesmerizing, effortlessly gorgeous, scarred face. My heart soars to dangerous limits.
“Always so stubborn. Let’s get you warm and into my bed, and I’ll spend all nightexplaining.”
I can’t believe I’m hearing these words. Happy is an understatement. There are no words to explain how much getting your soldier back home alive means.
“Is Booker really dead?” I narrow my eyes, squinting through my blurry, hot vision. Raindrops continue to drum against our bodies.
His gorgeous smirk falls.
“Yes.” He brushes his calloused hands across my face and then cups my jaw. I pepper kisses all over his wet, warm flesh.
“This can’t be real.” I press my face against his hand harder.
“I am real,” he says, kissing my forehead. “You’re wearing the butterfly I made you,” he whispers softly.
“What do we do now?” I ask. We share the same smile as we lock eyes.
“Survive.”
50
KADE
How To Save A Life by The Fray
FLASHBACK
“You can’t see him!” Penny shouts at me, gripping the door tightly. She’s using it as a barrier so I can’t see Adam on his birthday. I can hear them getting ready to sing ‘Happy Birthday.’ When I first knocked on the door, she opened it just enough for me to glimpse my eleven-year-old before she pushed me with her hand to my chest. Penny’s parents and sisters are setting the cake up on the table. He has all his friends over. His family is on his mother’s side, but Penny refuses to let me in because her new boyfriend is here.
“Penny, for the love of God, I am his father. This is the first time I’m home on his birthday in years, and I hand-made him his gift.”
She closes the door behind her and shakes her head while parting her lips disgustedly. Her face is full of makeup, her hair curled, and she’s dressed in a summer dress, with a cardiganover her upper body. She looks good, but it’s not enough to mask the unfair, miserable, resentful human lying underneath.
“What is it? Another damn piece of wood?” She scoffs, crossing her arms against her chest.
I look into her cold eyes, and my throat thickens.
My vision glances down to the big box I set on her front porch with a yellow bow wrapped around it. I’ve worked on this project for six months, whenever I had a break from missions. It’s a castle with a dragon on a high tower because the last time we talked about him, Penny told me he was going through a dragon phase.
“It’s not just a piece of wood, Penny. Please let me see him. I want to hug him at least and tell him happy birthday. He’s a part of me, too. He doesn’t deserve this. I’m not sure why you keep sabotaging my relationship with him. I love him; let me see him for a fucking minute, and I’ll leave if that’s what you want. Please let me see my son!”
She gives me a poisonous grin.
