Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
He leaned in, his lips brushing over my ear as he whispered, “You’re mine, Storee. And I’m not going to let you go.”
I shivered again, but this time it wasn’t from fear. It was from the thrill of excitement that his words and his touch brought. Maybe I did want him to fight for me. Maybe I did want him to be the one to take, but there was still something inside that wanted to resist.
“Locke, I’m serious,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “You and I can’t just—”
But Locke wasn’t listening. He stepped closer to me, his hand reaching out to cup my chin and tilt my head up to meet his eyes. “You can try to push me away all you want, baby girl,” he said, his breath hot against my cheek. “But we both know you want me just as much as I want you.”
I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, feeling self-conscious in my messy hair and stained clothes. But even as I tried to pull away from him, my body seemed to gravitate toward him, drawn to his heady scent and masculine presence.
Before I could protest, his lips crashed down on mine, his kiss fierce and possessive. And as much as I tried to fight it, I found myself melting into him, my hands tangling in his hair as I kissed him back just as fiercely. My body responded eagerly, my arms wrapping around his neck as I deepened the kiss. It was like a fire had been ignited between us, and I couldn’t resist the heat.
Locke’s hands left my chin, trailing down my body as he pulled me closer, pressing his hard length against me. I moaned into his mouth, my thoughts and inhibitions slipping away as his touch consumed me.
When he finally pulled away, he was breathing heavily, his eyes dark with desire. “I’m not letting you go, Storee,” he said, his voice so low and demanding.
And in that moment, I knew that he was right. I didn’t want him to let me go. I wanted to be his, completely.
But there was still that voice in my head.
Run. Run!
No… let him catch you.
“But, Locke, I can’t just lose myself to you. I can’t give up my strength. I can’t have you watching my every move, protecting me to a point where I can’t breathe. Where I can’t be me. I need you to accept me. Or let me leave.”
His eyes narrowed and I could see the possessive anger flashing in them. “You don’t get it, do you?” he said sharply, his voice cold and hard. “I don’t want anything else, Storee. I just want you. Every single part of you. I always have. Always.”
“And my father? Will he forever haunt us? Forever standing between us?”
He pulled me even closer, his hand cradling the back of my head. “Nothing is standing between us except you and me,” he said, ending my protest with his lips crashing down on mine. “I’m done resisting. And I’m done letting you.”
As his lips moved hungrily against mine, I felt my resistance crumbling. Locke was right. My father’s shadow had been hanging over us for long enough, and it was time to let it go. It was time to let myself go and give in to the powerful force that was pulling me toward this man.
As his lips trailed down my neck, I tried to push the doubts away. Locke was right. I was his and there was no point in denying it any longer. But there was still one question I needed answered.
“And the fact that I killed my father’s killer?” I pulled away from him and took a step back, putting space between us so I could look into his eyes. “What does that mean? For us?”
Locke didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find the truth. Finally, he stepped closer to me, his expression softening. “I’ve been haunted by his ghost ever since his death because unlike you, I didn’t act like I’d wanted. I didn’t seek revenge when every part of my body screamed for me to. I didn’t face the monster. I fucking regret that. I regret it every single day of my life. But you, you faced it head on. You did what you had to do to protect yourself.” He smirked. “All along I thought I needed to protect you. Shelter you. Clearly, you took care of that yourself. I’ve never been more impressed and in awe of how powerful and strong someone else is as I am now.”
I looked up at Locke, tears streaming down my face. It was the first time he had ever said anything like that to me. I felt a sudden wave of emotion sweep over me, but I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t know how to process it.