Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 87961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
He leans over me, his fingers winding into my hair as he brings his face close to mine. “You are not staying with my brother. You overestimate my self-control.”
“It’s Caleb!” What the hell is wrong with him?
“You’re mine, Tor. Do you fucking hear me?” he growls.
I frown. “I’m leaving. I’m not yours, I never was.”
A small smirk kicks up the corner of his lips. “I may let you go, but you will always be mine.” His eyes search mine desperately. I don’t know what he’s looking for, but he looks haunted. For the first time since I met him, he looks shaken. That vulnerability pulls at something deep within me, something that pines for him, for this strange connection we have, no matter how twisted it might be.
“I can’t do this with you.” My voice hitches and I try to pull away from him.
His fingers tighten in my hair, holding me in place. “There’s no can or can’t about it, doll. This just is.” His lips brush over mine, tenderly, reverently. My body instantly responds to him, and my battered heart feels whole again the second his lips touch me. His lips move over mine and he holds me as though he’ll never let go. It’s the sweetest form of torture. I squeeze my eyes shut as tears slip free, sliding down my cheek.
He pushes me back onto the bed, hovering over me. His eyes trace my face, a small frown line creasing his eyebrows. He gently brushes away my tears. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head, because I don’t want to hear it. There’s too much to apologise for, and yet he has nothing to apologise for. I foolishly did this to myself, but even in the midst of my despair, I still want him. Despite everything, I still need him.
His lips move back over mine, and my hand skims up his defined chest, wrapping around his neck, trying to hold him to me. I wish that nothing outside of this existed, because this right here is simple and easy. This is right.
His hand releases my hair, and cups my face. His eyes lock with mine, and something passes between us, something so pure and beautiful that it should not exist amongst this darkness. What we have is like a poppy blooming from the blood-soaked soil of war. A beautiful tragedy.
His thumb strokes over my bottom lip. “I can’t change who I am.” He kisses me gently, his lips barely brushing against mine. “I wish I could.” I hear everything he doesn’t say. He can’t change what he is. Our worlds are so different, and in a different time, a different place, maybe he would love me, but this is hell, and in hell there are no happy endings.
His hand strokes over my neck, and he drops his face to the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. “I wish I could…” he whispers.
“I wish I could…” The scent of her makes me weak. I pull in another deep breath, savoring the way she smells, the way she feels beneath me, because this will be the last time I ever have her like this, and that damn near kills me.
“So do I,” she chokes.
When did I become this man? When the fuck did I start to care about someone? My chest tightens. This is too much; I suddenly realize I’m not the man I thought I was, at least not with her. I can’t change that I’m fucked up, that my life will end in nothing but ruin; I can’t be the man she deserves. I can’t change my fate, but I can change hers.
I feel her fingers trail down my arms as I gently kiss her neck. My throat tightens, and all I can do is hold my lips against her skin while my fingers tangle in her hair. All I want to do is tell her I’m sorry; really, I want to beg her not to go, but as selfish of a man as I am, I won’t do that. I love her and I want to tell her, but I can’t, and damn is this hard because I would do anything for her, even if it means losing her.
I tilt her chin back and trail kisses along her collarbone, her neck, her chin. I rest my lips against her and shut my eyes. Closing the gap between our mouths, I feel her lips tremble as they touch mine. I inhale and kiss her hard, deep, as mercilessly as I can. My mouth never leaves hers as I reach for the hem of her shirt. Her fingers claw at my back and her legs wrap around my hips. I tear my lips from hers and pull the shirt over her head, immediately slamming my mouth back down on hers because I can’t get enough. I can’t kiss her hard enough. I just need her. Right now.