Even If It Hurts (Coastal Elite #1)

by Sam Mariano

Watch out, mermaid. I’m coming for you.

“Live a little, mermaid.”

“Nah,” he says, like he’s not surprised. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you? All the way, through and through.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” “I’ve been holding my breath since we met, mermaid.”

“No, of course you’re not. You have no reason to feel shy. You’re perfect. You’re all I want.”

“Good people don’t exist. Some are just better at covering up their shittiness.”

“You should be scared. Next time you think about opening your legs for someone else, remember that you married a madman, and cheating on him is ill-advised.”

“You’re mine now,” he says, tone thick and deep and gravelly enough to make my heart skip a beat. “No one’s going to take you from me.”

“Why are you crying?” he asks. “Because you’re going to break my heart,” I whisper.

“Aw, mermaid. Do I make you smile?”

“I always want to make you smile.”

“No.” His grip on my jaw tightens almost painfully. “I will kiss you wherever and whenever the fuck I want to,” he says carefully. “And I don’t care if Hannah or Anae or anyone else fucking likes it. You’re mine, and I will do whatever the fuck I want to do with you. Do you understand?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve already decided you’re mine, and you being afraid of me won’t change that.”

“And you’re stuck with me,” he states. “I can see myself being with you forever, Aubrey. I’m not bullshitting you. I can see us having kids and a family, birthday parties and fucking… trips to the popcorn store. I’m not one foot in this thing. I want it all, and I want it with you.”

body. Leaning close, he rumbles in my ear, “I fucking love you, Aubrey. Don’t you get that by now? I would kill for you, but I would never hurt a hair on your goddamn head. I have ruined fucking lives to hold onto you, and I’d ruin more. The last thing I want is to lose you.”

It’s a little sick to feel so reassured by that, but maybe that’s what loving him has made me: a little sick.

“You’re mine. You’re fucking mine. It’s forever, and I won’t let anyone get in the way of that.”

To be loved so hard, so aggressively… it’s frightening, but intoxicating, too.

“It isn’t a good idea to invite temptation into our relationship. I will never do it, and I expect you not to as well. I know you were only joking about being sick of me and joking is fine, but should you ever actually get sick of me, I would advise you to reflect on what made you love me in the first place and fucking bathe in it, because I will never, ever let you go.”