Page 96 of In The Dark
“Would that make you uncomfortable?”
“No. I-I don’t want you to be far away. I want you to hold me.”
“I’ll hold you for as long as you want,” I say.
Forever, I want to add.Please let me hold you forever.
The last two hours have been the scariest of my life. When Max didn’t answer my texts, I thought the world was ending. I broke every speed limit to get to her. I ran red lights. I skipped stop lights.Nothingmattered but her, and I’ve never experienced fear like that before. I would’ve lit fire to everything in this goddamn world, gladly watching it burn to ash if it meant finding her.
I would cross every end of the universe to keep her safe.
I would cut myself open and give her my blood if she needed it.
I would kill a thousand people—amillion fucking people—if it meant she never had to live in fear again.
I’ve known it since the first night I met her: I’m in love with this woman. My soul fuckingacheswhen she’s not around, and I’ll tie myself to her from now until eternity if she’s willing.
And if she’s not?
I’ll wait.
For months. For years.
It doesn’t matter.
When she’s ready, I’ll be there, ready to kiss the ground she walks on and bend to her every beck and call.
I hop out of the car and jog to her side so I can open her door. She smiles at me again when I offer her my hand, her fingers slotting into mine. Her eyes flick to the trunk and I shake my head. Connor is staying there until I’m ready for him. Waking up disoriented, bound and gagged is going to be the best part of his night, and it would be rude of me to rush to the next part without letting him panic for a few minutes.
“Can you make the water as hot as it will go?” Max asks in my bathroom, and I nod.
“Sure thing, angel. One shower in the throes of hell shower coming right up.” I adjust the temperature and put my wrist under the running water, making sure it’s warm enough. Satisfied, I peel off my shirt and toss it on the floor, holding out my arms to her. “Come here, baby.”
Max walks toward me, undoing her top as she moves. She pulls off the blouse and drops it next to my shirt, putting a hand on her chest.
“He hit me,” she whispers.
I freeze. “Excuse me?”
“Connor. I-I tried to fight back. He slapped me across the face.”
Rage like I’ve never experienced before blooms behind my vision. I close my eyes and squeeze my hands into fists. The urge to pummel that sack of shit until he’s nothing but a pulp on my floor is nearly overwhelming. That’s the easy way out, though. It would be too generous fo me, and he’s not worthy of it.
Not when I’m going to make him suffer like I’ve never made anyone else suffer.
“He will pay for his sins,” I say, keeping my eyes on her and the small pink mark on her cheek. “I promise you that.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispers, and I tip her chin up to kiss her. Soft, sweet. A vow that I’ll always be here. “I’m so glad I have you.”
“You are the most important thing to me, and I will keep you safe until the end of my days.”
I love you, I almost shout.
I love you so fucking much.Take my bleeding heart and keep it in a jar, because I’m never giving it to anyone else.
“Thank you.” She kisses my chest, lips warm against my skin, and we take off the rest of our clothes. “Thank you for being my most wonderful surprise.”
I help her into the shower, the water hot and steam rising around us. I reach for the shampoo I bought after she told me the name of her favorite brand, lather it in her hair, and massage her scalp until she relaxes against me. Pliant muscles, mouth half open. She looks serene. Finally at ease, all while I’m thinking about the ways I’m going to torture Connor when I get him out of my trunk.
