Page 33 of Savage Thief

“I can overlook a lot, Hark. Believe me, I can. But this? You have no idea how many times I wished for your same fate. I loved you, you fucking bastard. I wanted to be dead, Hark. Do you understand what your death did to me?”

Years of practice covering my emotions melts away to show the true agony wrecking my insides.

I inhale sharply when he raises his good arm to push my hair to the side and brushes a lingering caress along my cheek. “Death has its own agenda, baby. You’re not going to rush it. It takes you when it’s ready.”

The truth of his words sting. But that doesn’t keep the cold fingers of betrayal from reaching into me at his flat tone. One by one those icy fingers clamp around my heart.

I can’t help the tears welling nor can I control them when a hot stream washes down my cheeks.

“I told—”

I try forcing myself away before I cut him as deeply as he cut me. My palms begin to sweat. His lingering touch is no longer that of compassion but moves toward danger when he wraps strong fingers around my throat.

I don’t care. Let him squeeze the life out of me.

“The next words out of your mouth better not be I told you so, or so help me—”

My words abruptly end. The suggestion of danger in his touch morphs into something else entirely. A threat of consuming passion.

I’m off the floor with my feet in the air. A punishing grip tightens in my hair, and another pins me to a freshly stitched chest.

“Are you crazy? You’re going to rip through your damn stitches.”

Hark’s gaze flicks over my face. He leaves no part of my scowl untouched. My God, this man. He actually considers me like I’m an angel gracing him with my presence.

“You’re stepping close to hell’s gaping mouth. Be careful. How far I go to reclaim what is already mine might not look like whatever daydream you have going on in your head, little girl.”

His raspy words send mixed signals to my brain and heart. Every blood cell in my body ignites with the dark promise. Does this make me messed up in the head? Probably.

“Daydream? You’re delusional. You and I won’t happen again.Neveragain, Hark. Burn me once, shame on you…but twice? No. I refuse to let you that close to me again.”

Primal instincts to fight kick in when I hear his wicked laugh. “Do you always lie to yourself?”

Can he sense I want to feel those possessive lips on mine again?

Crave it.

“It’s not my problem you can’t handle my truths.”

He’s already shaking his head. “There’s only one truth you need to understand, Asena, and listen to me carefully. I let you go once. But now, I don’t know if I can let you walk out of my life again.” Dark eyes glitter with danger. And my soul laps it up like sugar water.

I am so royally screwed.

He continues unaware of my internal warring. “I told you plainly that night you would be the death of me. Was I wrong? You’re my fucking curse. I all but died for you. And here you are taking my blood once again. How much more do I give before I take a little for myself?

I don’t have to worry about him regaining his color. He looks every bit like the uncaring mafia gunman. Focused. Deadly. Murderous expression in place.

I press against his shoulders and try forcing him to release me. His fingers only tighten around my throat. Not hard enough to block my air, but enough to let me know he thinks he’s in charge here.

“I’ll never love you again,” I seethe. “That part of me died. I killed her in order to survive.” I fight against him, anything to not see the unfiltered torture stricken through his tight expression.

He releases my throat and grips my chin between strong fingers. “I’d do it again, Asena. I’d take you again, take the bullet. All of it. Every drop of my blood is yours to do with it as you please. Drain me. I don’t care if it’s what you need.”

He pauses and so do I. Did I just hear correctly?

“Do you know why?” he continues.

There’s nothing feigned about my shock.

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