Page 51 of Darkest Retribution

She presses her lips together, eyes bright with amusement. “Convenient.”

Why is she not freaking out that I just killed a man?

Deal with it later, Dom.

Once Jade is clean, I shut the water off. She wraps her arms around herself, shivering as she looks up at me. Some of her hair got wet, and I smooth it back, resisting the urge to kiss her forehead.

“My towel is still in the bathroom.”

Shit.

I peek out of the shower. There are a couple hand towels on the shelf in here. “These will do, then.”

As I dry her off, she lets her arms fall to her sides. Her skin is covered in goosebumps, her nipples hard, and I have to stop myself from sucking one into my mouth. I compromise by lightly brushing the towel over them, pulling a whimper from her.

By the time I’ve toweled both of us off, she’s watching me warily. I ignore the look, helping her step out of the tub and leading her back to her room. She glances toward her bathroom, but I capture her chin in between my fingers, guiding it until she’s staring at me.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d follow through,” she whispers.

“How unsure?”

She bites her lip, her gaze falling.

“Eyes on me, Jade.”

As she looks at me, her eyes flare with annoyance. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

I don’t reply, waiting for her to answer my question.

She sighs. “I was pretty sure you’d do it.”

Hearing that makes me want to kiss her, but I don’t. We may be on the verge of changing everything about our relationship, but I won’t change that. If she wants to kiss me, then she has to accept that she’s mine first.

“Good,” I murmur. “Because I’d do it again without regrets. But I’m not going to.”

“What?”

Stroking her cheek with my thumb, I lean closer. “If we’re doing this, Jade, you won’t be fucking anyone else. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Why you did this?”

As my words sink in, she nods.

“I’ve wanted you for so long that I’m not sure how to exist without thinking about you anymore,” I say. “I want all of you, Jade, but if you won’t give it to me, then I’ll take what I can get. No strings attached? No emotions? That’s what you want?”

She nods, but the look on her face tells me she doesn’t. She wants more, too, she just won’t give it to me. To herself.

“Why?” I hate how broken I sound, but I have to ask. If it’s something to do with me, I need to know.

Something that looks too much like fear crosses her face, but it’s gone in a split second. “I’ve never been in love.” At first, it sounds like that’s all she’s going to say, but she continues. “And I can’t change that.”

“Because of Rosie?”

She shakes her head.

“Then why?”

She presses her lips together, that hard determination settling over her features. I want more—of her, of an explanation, of everything. But she’s not going to give me any of it. So I nod, finally letting myself press a kiss to the top of her head.

“This is going to hurt you, isn’t it?” she asks.

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