One Chance (The Marchetti Men #1)

by Vee Taylor

To those who have been told they weren’t good enough by others. Let this be a reminder that you are. And to those who have tried to tear you down. . . fuck them.

“Am I happy with what’s in front of me? You have been the object of my obsession over the last few days. I was desperate for a taste of you, even a little smell of the sweet lavender, to melt into your blue eyes. I haven’t been able to focus on anything BUT you the last few days, little bear.”

“I like my wine fine and my company finer.” My laughter echoed in the empty restaurant at the ridiculous line.

“Do you use that line on all your women?” I quickly retorted.

“Not all women. Just you.”...

“Little bear,” he murmured, wiping away a few rogue tears. “Who hurt you?”

“This is why I cannot deal with that world. I have no space for more locks.”

Tatum, I’m sorry for how our dinner ended last night. I cannot seem to get my mind off of you and wanted to make sure the next time I saw you, you were drenched in the smell of lavender. -J

When the car slowed, I was startled to see that I was most definitely not back at home. I stared at a house that stood on top of a massive cliff. It was dark green with black accents.

I took a shaking breath in and looked at the girls surrounding me. I finally had a group of friends who cared about me. For five years, I couldn’t have a female friend outside of the shop. I lived in different worlds inside the books I read and envied the characters with groups of friends who put them first.

Now, I felt like I was part of something larger than my loneliness.

“What you will not do is let another man put their hands on you when you don’t want it. And if I see it? I will take them out to protect what belongs to me.”

“Why do you call me little bear?” I asked, wanting to understand the meaning behind those words.

“I sensed your energy when I met you at the wedding. You were a little fearful, but you were powerful when you came out of your shell. A force to be reckoned with. Like a bear, you’re protective of yourself and don’t let anyone in unless they’ve shown they’re worthy of being in your inner world. However, bears are also capable of joy and fear. Their strength is so different than their soft interior. Just like you.”

“Do you remember your safeword?” he asked.

Does she know what kissing the darkness means?” I knew Tatum had some connection to a dark world, but mine was deeper. It was full of death and fear.

“I think she has an idea of my world.”

When I got to the room, I found Tatum sitting on the chair, reading a book. “Do you always have a book with you?” I asked from the doorframe. “Always,” she murmured and tucked her book into her backpack. “It’s something I picked up from my past. When I had to sit through things I didn’t want to hear, it was easier to bury myself in a book and escape. Now, it’s nice to read about modern-day fairytales.” She looked out the window, and my heart pulled toward her, wondering if she felt like me.

dropped to my knees in front of her. “You are worth breaking every rule for. I will not spend another moment until I know what every inch of you tastes like. Then I’ll go back and start all over again.”

“I wanted to show you that the darkness can have light too.

My world isn’t just full of death. And add your light to my darkness, making me glow.”

“I will always find you. I’d go to the ends of the earth for you. And I’ll never spend a single living day without you.”

“Never, little bear. If you die, I will go with you. If you want to go to the other side of the world, I’ll follow. If you jump off a cliff, I’ll ask to hold your hand on the way down. You are mine.”

“You think this scares me, little bear? Look at us. We’re covered in blood. A little more won’t hurt me.” He brought his face to my core and gave me a sensual lick. His teeth gripped my tampon string, and he pulled it out. It dangled from his teeth before he spat it on the ground.

“You never told me those eight letters.”

“I love you,” she whispered. “I would sell my soul to the devil to walk this earth with you. I will follow you until the end of time and then I’ll still be there with you after that. I don’t just love you. I love your being,” I spoke softly because saying I love you back wasn't enough.

Per Aspera Ad Astra.

“This house is something we may call home, but home the nights spent together playing footsie and reading books.

Home is holding hands in the car and pretending neither of us realizes it. Home is falling in love with you.”