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“You make me feel driven. You make me hungry and on fire and wanting to slow down time instead of wanting to rush through it. It’s you I look for when I walk in the doors in the morning. Not her. You.”
“Hello.” He took her hand, shook it, and finally released it. A couple seconds too late in my opinion.
lol
“I like you,” he told me. “I want you in my house. I want to see you in my bed. I don’t want to not see you every day. Be with me tonight.”
“If you don’t come, it’s war,” Kai threatened me, his tone as dead as a machine. “And I will make this hurt. Dare me.” I heard my father chuckle, but I knew Kai wasn’t bluffing. And this might not even be about Damon anymore. He was angry with me now.
“I’m scared,” I whispered. “I’m scared of you even with your mask off.” Because of everything you make me feel.
He wanted me to choose him in that guesthouse. He wanted me. And I wanted him to know I had to make an impossible choice. But in my head, tucked away where I kept my secrets, it would always be him. Ten years . . . twenty years down the road I would watch him from a distance and see him build his life and be happy if he was happy. I wanted him to know I loved our foreplay. I wanted him to know I loved him.
“I don’t flaunt myself for the enjoyment of men.” His chest shook with a laugh behind me. “Well, good. Happy to hear it, because I’m the only man whose attention you should be trying to get, and baby, you got it years ago while wearing another man’s clothes.” He kissed my temple, his hot breath sending chills down my spine. “So, you can imagine how fucking beautiful you are to me right now wearing mine.”
“Screwing you puts me on an even keel with her?” I told him. “I don’t set my sights that low. I want to be on an even keel with Kai.” His eyebrows dug in; he wasn’t following me. I met Rika’s eyes. And she broke out in a smile. “She is clever, isn’t she?” “What’s going on?” Michael looked between Rika, Kai, and me. “What does that mean?” Reaching out, Rika took my hand and gently pulled me over to her. “It means, if Kai got to have me, so does she.”
“I like you, little one.” I smiled, hating that stupid nickname as much as when he called me “kid.” “I like you, too.” I love you.
“He said Damon’s mother . . .” she said, looking like she was struggling to get the words out, “that she started hurting him when he was twelve.”
ok now i get why she wants the guys to lay off him
“Damon eats pain,” I told her. “He will find some way to take it and twist it and fit it down his throat, so he can swallow it. He’s made of it. You all can endure it until you overcome it, but Damon . . . he wants to be in hell.” It’s where he shines.
I saw the gun he had tucked in a holster under his arm. I moved for him. But Michael shot out his hand, stopping me. “They have guns. We have nothing. Be patient.”
i just want to point out that kai is the one who makes no move w/out a plan…and he’s making this stupid decision w/out thought, for banks
“I’m not relishing being let off the hook,” I replied calmly, biting out every word. “I’m singular, as well, and I’m not running. A deal is a deal, and you’re stuck with me.” “Well, I have no more nieces to give you.” I glanced at Banks and then back at him. “You have a daughter,” I pointed out.
How perfect my world would’ve been if I could’ve swallowed my pride and told her I loved her and she let me hold her. No matter what, everything would’ve been okay if I could’ve seen her smile on her wedding day.
I didn’t like how they looked at her. Like they had more of a right to her attention. But I guess, who wouldn’t want her attention? Nikova Banks was a beautiful woman.
Territorial is fine when it’s in the bedroom. It’s not fine when it keeps someone you’re supposed to love from living a life.
my exact issue with the way damon treated banks
“I wanted this,” I told her, looking in her eyes. She paused. “For no other reason than I wanted you.” I threaded my fingers through hers, brushing against the band on her finger. I’d get her an engagement ring next week. Even though we were never engaged. Maybe she’d like to pick it out, actually. “Damon knew what a treasure you were, and he loves you. But he won’t keep me from you.” I tipped up her chin to meet my eyes. “This isn’t about him or the hotel or your father. I want you.”
Why did he just sit here, doing nothing? He’d had a year and multiple opportunities. “Because just that,” Will finally offered. “Michael, Rika, and I are here at Delcour. You and Banks are in Whitehall.” He paused, dropping his eyes. “The rest of the world has nothing that Damon wants. He wanted to be here. Close.” His eyes flashed to mine. “To us.”
“I love you,” he whispered against my lips as he backed us away from the others. “And he can send me to prison again for a very long time. I’m not letting that happen now that I’ve found you. Please.”
Blood matted Damon’s hair, trickling down his face with the rain. He gripped Will’s shirt and buried his head, trying to shield himself but not trying to stop it. He knew he deserved this. Will threw him off, stood up, and swung back his leg, kicking Damon in the head. I turned away. I knew what he was doing, just letting Will punch him. If he was in pain on the outside, he wouldn’t feel it on the inside.
🥲
Water cascaded down his face, making his black hair hang over his eyes, and I knew I couldn’t ever not love him. Bleeding, broken, lost, and alone, he was back up, wasn’t he? He would always be able to take whatever anyone did to him. Twist it. Turn it. Swallow it.
My father wouldn’t let Damon go back to prison. He’d send him somewhere where he couldn’t embarrass him again, and he’d keep him there, out of sight, for however long it took for Damon to get a hold of himself.
love the world building! she’s talking abt blackchurch!
“I don’t want to hurt you. Anymore,” he added. “That’s all I know.”
growth! i love it!
“If you want an annulment, I’ll give you one,” Kai said, his lips brushing my hair. “We can start over. Fresh. Maybe have a date. And a proper wedding after I ask you and if you say yes.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I’ll kiss you like I should’ve.” I gave a half smile. I could tell he felt guilty about our “wedding.” “No.” I raised my hand, looking at my ring. “It’s part of our story, and I don’t want to change it. I like our story.”
