West

by Stacey Marie Brown

Yeah. Trouble. If I were a smart man, I’d back away and stop playing this game. Too bad I wasn’t a smart man.

“Darlin’, you don’t understand. You already stand out. You are the most stunning woman there is, without the fancy clothes. We need any help we can to go unnoticed. At least as much as a siren and a dweller can.” Rez’s breath faltered, and I felt a catch in my chest. The intimate moment stifled the cold morning air. What was I doing touching her? Especially like this?

“Sorry, darlin’. Was held up.” I tried to smile. “Boys’ night.” “Next time have the decency to call and let me know you’re gonna be late.” She curved her arms around my back, helping me sit up. “Think I’m getting a taste of what it would be like to be married to you.” I moaned. My back felt like it was on fire. “Believe me, if you were married to me, you wouldn’t want to leave.”

My gaze caught her deep brown eyes, which sparkled in the light. Neither of us could talk as we stared at each other, catching our breaths. Her hand came to my face, she leaned up, and kissed me deeply. In that moment I knew—no question this time. The feeling consumed my body, so clear, so firm, there was no doubt. I was a goner. The beast had claimed her. Claiming someone was not in a dweller’s control. The beast saw past rules and offenses. It was primal and comprehended only what it wanted.

“What I want is for one night to forget everything. No pain, nightmares, memories, past lovers, or right or wrong. Because the only thing I know is when I am with you everything feels right in a way I haven’t known in a very long time. If ever.”

She grinned, and her eyes lit up. She looked…happy. It was the most beautiful I had ever seen her. And it killed me. I was on a slippery slope. But my future was pretty much over and not for one moment, staring down at her, did I regret a second of it. Hell, West, you’re going to die anyway. You might as well jump.

“Rez. Please. I finally found you. Don’t make me live without you.” I shook her, demanding she wake up. “I’m not strong enough.”

As we moved together, with desperate need for each other, I realized an undeniable truth. I was in love with her. The fact I could still feel love surprised me. But it came barreling into me like a cannon as we went over together.

The beast was restless and demanded to run. Now the idea of not being with Rez—forever—rendered him frantic and irate. Shit. Shit. Shit. When did this happen? When did I fall in love with her? How did I let it? But with each kiss, I realized I didn’t care. I was more than okay with it.

“Lars,” Rez stood proudly, “there are not enough apologies in the world to tell you how sorry I am. It doesn’t matter we never really loved each other or I lost you a long time ago to a ghost. But right here and now, I am so sorry for what happened. It was not planned. I did not consider I would ever fall in love with a Dark Dweller, especially West.” My body jerked. Love? She loved me? “Wait.” I stepped closer to her, Ember still in the middle, holding on to Lars, keeping him grounded. “What do you mean especially me?” She tipped her head to the side. “Really? Is this about your ego?” “Well…” “You idiot. I just said I loved you, and you are preening over your self-importance?”

Rez came to me, and in her gaze I knew she understood what it meant to lose the artifact. I was giving up an entire part of me, my identity, my being. I glanced into her chocolate brown eyes, full of love and concern for me. I may have lost part of me, but I didn’t lose my soul. That was with her. I reached up, running my hand over her cheek. “I’m in love with you too, darlin’.”

The weight of Rez’s presence came from everywhere outside, as though she were the air, the sun. I gazed around trying to find her, my heart slamming into my chest. The beast pawed excitedly. This was insane. I suddenly realized I could never have pretended she was nothing to me. I wouldn’t have lasted five seconds.

“I’m at your command, darlin’,” she teased, repeating what I had said to her the first night we were together. She stepped away, grabbed my hand, and towed me toward the house. I was a goner. And I loved it. These people, these walls. With her. I wanted to be nowhere else in the world.