Page 149 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

A smile curves my mouth, and I frown when breathing becomes difficult, only now noticing the oxygen mask attached to me. I quickly remove it, gulping for a deep breath, and swallow past the saliva gathered in my mouth, only to groan when it brings pain to my dry throat.

A whimper slips past my lips, the tears forming in my eyes and sliding down my cheeks while massive relief washes over me, letting the horror I’ve experienced slowly fade away like a bad dream that should have never happened.

“Shhh… Don’t cry, mi amor,” Santiago’s whispers, sitting up and leaning toward me, his knuckles wiping away my tears one by one as his other hand cups my cheek, his thumb gently rubbing my skin while his intense gaze focuses on me. “You’re safe. He won’t hurt you anymore.”

My fingers clutch his sweater, bringing him closer to me so our mouths are a breath away from each other, and he rests his forehead against mine. “Did you kill him?” Andreas might be my father by blood, but I don't feel any emotions toward him besides disgust for ruining Santiago’s life the way he did. My suffering at Howard’s mercy doesn't even compare to what my husband was subjected to.

And for my mother who was naïve enough to fall in love with the wrong man, and because of it, the evil one inflicted his revenge through her. I could never blame her, but I’m grateful to her for giving me a chance to live, despite hating my father’s guts.

He waits a beat before answering. “No, I think my father did.” My eyes widen in surprise at this, and his mouth tips in a smile. “Long story, mi amor. I’ll tell you later. The only thing that matters to me—” He lifts his head and removes a lock falling across my nose and places a soft kiss on my forehead, whispering over my skin. “—is that you’re alive and well in my arms right now.”

What? He doesn't care if his vengeance is complete?

“Santiago—”

He puts his index finger on my lips, shutting me up, and then our eyes meet again. This time, I recognize the emotion flashing in there, an emotion he probably sees in mine too.

Love.

“Nothing and no one in this world is more important to me than you.” A raspy breath leaves me followed by the tears dripping on my cheeks again, and he scoops them up with his lips, trailing after them and leaving butterfly kisses in his wake. “Do you want to hear a story?”

“Always,” I murmur, and he rises again, my tears momentarily stopping as he slides his hand to my neck, his thumb pressing now on my pulse as if he needs to feel my heartbeat to make sure I’m alive.

“Once upon a time, there was a boy named Santiago Cortez, who ended up in a nightmare.” The breath hitches in my throat, and I open my mouth to tell him to stop, not now, not when the pain from Andreas is so raw in us, but he shakes his head. “Every single day, he wondered why the God his parents had such fondness for allowed all the dark shit to happen to him. He never got an explanation, only more monsters to feast on his flesh.” He exhales a breath. “The pain within his heart grew so much he had to block it away in order to survive.”

My fingers shift to his collarbone, placing my splayed palm there and feeling the heat of his skin under it.

“Until one day he found an angel who didn't fit in his hell, but he was adamant on keeping her.” His gaze roams over me. “An angel who soothed the pain, making him believe that, despite his past, he was capable of experiencing something besides hate, rage, and pain covered by indifference.” He catches my palm and moves it to his heart where it beats rapidly. “Te quiero, Briseis.”

He squeezes my hand, his voice becoming rougher while tears once again continue to spill from my eyes. My body trembles slightly at the emotions washing over me, filling me with such happiness I’m afraid I might burst.

“I don't care what blood runs through your veins, because you’re mine and only mine. Nothing else matters. I finally accept this dark fate of mine, because it led me to you.”

Although my showing up in his life hardly makes up for all the shit done to him, I’m so touched by his words. Words I hear for the first time in my life. “I love you too,” I say quickly when a vulnerable expression from my prolonged silence settles on his face. “No one ever loved me before. Thank you.” Taking a deep breath, I say, “I love you without reservations and with all your darkness. I’m not waiting for a prince to show up. I’m happy with my beast.”

This darkness that he turned to is permanently attached to him, a second skin that digs its claws into him and will never let him go.

I accept this darkness and will learn to coexist with it, as long as it knows its boundaries and doesn't drag him farther into hell.

Loving him will never be easy, but I don’t mind.

A beat passes as we stare at one another, and then he captures my mouth, delving his tongue inside and entwining it with mine as he gives me a soft, deep kiss as if cementing our confession, and despite my body aching, pleasure travels through me.

A loud knock on the door tears into our moment, and the kiss ends too soon to my groan of displeasure. Santiago chuckles, running his hand over my hair, and then shifts a little to the side as we see the door open and people burst inside.

Rebecca stands next to Jimena, who holds a heavy bouquet of red roses, as they grin widely and wave at me. Lucian is behind them, his brown eyes softening slightly when they land on us.

“Can we come in, hermano?” Jimena asks, sauntering inside and walking to me, not really caring about her brother’s reply. “Hola, girl. Please don't scare us like that in the future.” She leans closer, gives me a soft peck on the cheek, and the roses’ scent twitches my nostrils, tickling them lightly. “Fresh from Mom’s garden. I’m gonna put them in a vase.”

She dances off to the table where there is indeed a vase—this room must cost a fortune—making room for Rebecca, who gently pats me on the head, her motherly gaze scanning my features before she exhales heavily.

“I was so worried, but thank God you’re all right.” She hugs me close—well, as much as it’s possible in my situation, practically being swallowed by the soft pillows. “Hopefully, the rest of your married life will be boring, so I won’t get more gray hair.”

I laugh at this, and she pats my cheek before stepping aside, and Lucian just leans closer to give me a kiss on the forehead without any words, yet the gesture itself means so much. He accepts me into his family and sees me and not Andreas’s bad seed who he should hate.

The clearing of a throat coming from the door makes me look there again, where the rest of the dark four are leaning on the doorjamb, each having a different reaction.

Florian winks at me, and then his gaze slightly lingers on Jimena, who ignores his ass. Octavius salutes me, already seeming bored with the whole thing. Remi’s chest though is bare, as he has a bandage over it and wears scrubs. Oh no, he must have been hurt during this!

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