Page 73 of Haunted Hearts

“Seeing those souls trapped… it brought back memories of how Fulton captured me,” Willow’s words are soft but clear.

Images of vines and roots weaving through her body like stitches surface. My stomach rolls. There’d been so much blood and the way her body so desperately tried to die yet couldn’t… I can’t stop the hard shudder that races through me.

“Yeah, I can see how Remy’s situation would be triggering,” I shake my head to dispel the memory. “But you’re here now, as are the others. You’re safe and I have you.”

I pull her closer towards me. Willow doesn’t fight me. Instead, she relaxes into my side with a soft sigh.

“Thanks,” she murmurs.

“For what?”

“For bringing me in here.” There’s a short pause. “I’ll be good to go back out there in just a moment.”

I scoff and shake my head. “You don’t have to thank me for that, Willow. It’smethat should be thankingyoufor finding and bringing back my friend.”

Willow hums. “Your friends don’t know about Fulton, do they?”

I stiffen and shake my head, though she doesn’t see my visual objection. “Well, now they do. When Caveman said Remy had gone missing, I had a feeling the warlock was behind it. Reapers don’t just vanish in your realm. But I didn’t want to believe it and without evidence, I didn’t want to alarm the others unnecessarily.”

“Well, I’m sure they’re alarmed now.”

I nod. “And rightfully so. I just hope they’ll contain their fears rather than share it with too many others. Panic can spread faster than wildfire, and I don’t want to set the realm ablaze.”

Willow nods slowly but says nothing to this. Bringing the cider to her lips, she sips it tentatively.

I glance back at the door. Still, no one interrupts. Good. As I turn back to Willow, I square my shoulder.

“Since I have you to myself for a little bit longer, there’s something I need to say,” I pause as Willow eyes lift to my face. “I shouldn’t have said anything about Theodon or the others. It wasn’t my place. I just… I just watched you go from lonely for years on end to fighting for your life the moment those guys showed up. It was hard watching it all from a distance. I didn’t understand why it was happening, all I knew was that Theo and the Ghosts brought that trouble to you. I resented all of them, but mostly him, and I let that get the best of me. So, I’m sorry, Willow.”

Slowly, Willow’s head moves back and forth as she pulls away from me. My heart drops and I brace myself for a verbal beat down. Willow’s eyes trail over my face as her brows come together and the corners of her mouth tilt downwards.

“Your concerns come from a place of love. I shouldn’t have shut you down so quickly,” she gives me a rueful smile as one shoulder moves up and down in an awkward shrug. “Someone pointed out after our fight that I seem to have a hard time letting the people closest to me care for me. I don’t want to be so closed off that the people around me feel like they aren’t heard, soI’msorry. You don’t have to run away for days the next time we fight. We’ll duke it out like adults and then be done with it.”

I blink in surprise.

“Willow, I had no intention of leaving you for that long.” At the confusion on her face I add, “I was helping these guys look for Remy in the Realm of the Living. Time moves differently there, remember? We were so focused on searching for him that I didn’t realize the time passing.”

Willow smiles up at me, her eyes twinkling. All signs of her distress are gone now, and it’s slowly being replaced with warmth.

“So, we’re ok now?”

I can’t stop myself. Swiftly, I lean down and plant my lips firmly against hers. Willow groans and leans into me. The sound causes my dick to stiffen swiftly. She’s forgiven me. I pour my relief into the kiss, hoping to convey how much I’m grateful for her. One of Willow’s hands lands in the middle of my chest. Not to push me away, but to brace herself. Her mouth opens and her tongue seeks entrance into mine. Greedily, I suck on it, pulling her tongue into my mouth where mine eagerly caresses and teases hers.

The sound of something hitting the floor is ignored as Willow suddenly climbs into my lap.

“I missed you,” she says, pulling away from my mouth just enough to speak. Her lips skim against mine as they move.

My hands go to the hem of her top and where I bunch the fabric. “Let me show you how muchImissedyou.”

“I’d be upset if this wasn’t a physical apology,” Willow says matter-of-factly, a playful smile spreading across her face.

I don’t waste another moment on words. My woman wants this just as much as I do. I’ll be damned if I keep her waiting. Clothes go flying. Our hands are everywhere as we peel off each other’s layers. Soon, we’re both naked as I sit on the couch and Willow straddles me.

I pause. My eyes sweep over her, admiring everything about her. Her breasts spill forward, her dark brown nipples erect and begging to be sucked. I happily oblige. As one hand comes to knead and caress one breast, my mouth latches onto the other nipple staring back at me at eye level. As I tease the peak in my mouth, Willow adjusts her hips. Her warm core grinds against the hard length of me. Her arousal drips and slides down me as she arches her chest forward and groans. I choke on my excitement.

“Fuck, I’ve waited so long for this, I can’t wait any longer, Willow,” I blurt out, pulling away from her mouth.

“Talk, talk, talk. I need some action,” Willow rolls her eyes in the most dramatic fashion. I laugh as I stand, taking her with me as I rise. She squeals in delight as her arms and legs wrap around me.

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