Page 89 of Taking

“Addilyn.” Gideon wrapped his arms around me gently, tugging me in tight, my back to his chest.

I heaved for oxygen as reality shifted through my brain, finding my consciousness. Shame and regret should have risen, but sweet satisfaction swelled in its place at the gruesome sight of the bloodied corpse in front of me.

“I killed him,” I whispered, a hysterical laugh bubbling in my chest. “I made him choke on his own fucking dick!”

“You did.” Gideon’s voice betrayed his smile, and he nuzzled against my ear, his breath hot.

I shivered, the twinge between my thighs reminding me of how he’d used me earlier. Soreness remained, but I needed him.

“Never seen anything so goddamn sexy, princess.” Gideon licked up my neck, and I tilted my head, my gaze still on Lloyd’s red and raw slumped body.

“I want you,” I told Gideon.

He chuckled and turned me to face him. Dark blue eyes, hooded and full of lust, peered down at me. “I’m hard as fuck and plan to ravage your perfect body, but this shit has to be taken care of first.”

I pouted. Actually pouted over the fact that we needed to dispose of a dead body rather than fuck. More reality seeped in, and I glanced at the mess behind me.

Shit.

“How do we hide this, Gideon?” I swallowed hard, a fresh burst of adrenaline weakening my legs. We would be torn apart again. Jailed, no chance of seeing each other…

Shivering, I went willingly against his chest when he pulled me in.

His lips found the top of my head. “I’m going to burn this motherfucking woodshed to the ground until there’s nothing left. Bury the ashes and his bones up in the mountains.”

“The ground is frozen,” I spewed the first thing to come to my mind.

“Not in the old bear cave.”

“Huh?”

He kissed me again. “Do you trust me?”

I nodded without hesitation.

“Give me your word, princess. I need to fucking hear it pass your lips.”

“Yes,” I whispered. Didn’t he know I would offer up anything to him? Everything?

He let out a heavy sigh and squeezed me tight, his arms a vise around me. Secure. Protective like no one else in my life had ever been.

“You’re safe now,” he murmured into my neck. “There’s no one left to hurt you, no one to remind you of the shit we’re going to leave in the past. We’re moving forward, you hear me?”

Stepping back, Gideon held me at arm’s length while I fought to keep from shaking. “You and me, got it?”

I couldn’t utter a word past the thickness in my throat as the beautiful image of him wavered due to swelling tears. A simple nod seemed enough for him that time around.

“Let’s douse this shit with lighter fluid and burn the woodshed down.” His grin caused my belly to flutter, but I didn’t have the energy to return the outward evidence of how satisfied—happy—I was.

I gripped his hand hard as he led me out into the dark.

34

Gideon

Ten days after ending the fuckface who gave me life, I still dreamed about his screams, the blood. Waking from those good memories always made me happier because of the warm woman pressed against my side. Like she couldn’t get close enough.

Every morning, I buried myself in her softness and soaked in her whimpers and moans, her smiles filling me with the sunshine and light my soul had lacked since birth.

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