Voracious (The Edge of Darkness, #2)

by Leigh Rivers

I knew that version of Kade was in love with me. I could see it in his eyes. I’m not sure I’ll ever see that side of him again.

She’s like my own sunrise. Beautiful. Perfect. She fills a part of me that’s been empty and dark for as long as I can remember.

“One day,” is all I say. Instead of running for the hills, Stacey kisses me again, somehow happy with what I said. “One day.” Fuck, I love this girl.

“It’s only been half a year, but it feels like longer. You’re everything to me, Stacey. Everything. I think about you constantly, and I get excited when it’s time to see you. I’ve never been attracted to someone before; did you know that? Never. Not once did I come across someone I found attractive. I thought I was broken, that my emotions were limited, but I just hadn’t met you yet.” Her eyes water, but she just listens. “I want it all with you. I want to go home and tell everyone that we’re together, that we’re going to have kids and grow old together. Do you want to know why?” “Why?” she asks, so softly. I take her face in my hands, stroking hair behind her ears. “Because I love you. I’ve been in love with you for ages – it’s been all I’ve thought about. And I keep falling more in love with you every single fucking day.” A tear slips down her cheek, and I swipe it with my thumb. “You love me?” “I do. I’m in love with you, Freckles.” Her bottom lip trembles, her body easing against mine. Voice shaking, she whispers, “I’m in love with you too.”

My heart explodes in my chest as I lower my head, pressing a tender, loving kiss to her mouth. “Are you going to be my forever, Freckles?” She nods, and we both break into a smile, giggling, and kissing as I press her against the cave wall before dragging her back to where we’re staying.

Sliding his mask up, and then mine, his eyes darken with possessiveness. “Ty moy, Vesnushki.

Barry: For the last time, please inform me when you leave the house. Your stepbrother was last seen two towns over, or are you trying to put me in an early grave while you have my Eva in your possession?

Chris has made my life a misery. He beat me until I lost my child, violently abused me and also allowed people to rape me. What worse can he do?

I had something, someone, that made it worth sticking around, despite all those bad things. I fell head over heels for Kade Mitchell. My best friend’s brother. The guy who teased me whenever I was near him, who made my nerves shatter in both good and bad ways. He made me smile when I was sad, laugh when I felt like crying and warm when I felt so cold. He reminded me of what it felt like to be alive. The butterflies have never vanished. They’ve been there since he called me “Freckles” for the first time and stared into my soul like he wanted to fix me. Like he could see the fractures – the shards of glass that gradually fell from my heart with each deep breath. As if the danger I was in at home was written all over my face, and Kade wanted to keep me safe from it all. And that’s what I had for a year. When I wasn’t in that hellhole of a house, I was wrapped in his arms. I was safe. Until I wasn’t.

“Let’s assume Kade does get his hands on me,” he says as he follows me with our bags. “Would you help him, Stacey?” I throw my head back and laugh. “He’s the son of Tobias Mitchell. He doesn’t need help.”