Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Yeah, but that’s still a two-hour drive in and out of the city. I’ll do it, but it’ll be a lot on us.”
“I know, but at least we’ll be together at night, when I’m not traveling.”
She nods, considering it. “True. Like I said, let’s get through this week.”
I swallow a little nervously, and then I say, “I told Cruz I wouldn’t be re-signing a lease with him.”
Louisa’s eyes widen as she looks over at me. “Ah, so we’re finally admitting we’re living together?”
I chuckle, taking her hand in mine. “Figure it’s about time.”
She threads our fingers together, bringing my hand to her lips. She kisses my knuckles and then grins against the back of my hand. “It is, especially since we’re making big plans.”
I look over at her, and her eyes lock with mine. “Are you good with making big plans with me, Lou?”
“There is nothing I’d rather do than make plans with you, Ciaran.”
I’m thankful for the stoplight because it gives me the opportunity to take her mouth with mine. As we kiss, her hand sliding into my hair as mine cups her throat, the truth is in her words.
We’re making plans. Big ones.
For our future.
Together.
When we part, I kiss her top lip and whisper, “I love you, Louisa McDavid. The Persephone to my Hades.”
Louisa’s eyes shine just as brightly as her grin. “The beast to my beauty, I love you.”
And then we kiss again, until people are honking at us to go.
Not that either of us cares.
CHAPTER 45
Ciaran
I’m startled out of a dead sleep by Louisa’s gasping scream.
I wrap my arms around her, her body so tense in my embrace that it scares the shit out of me. She’s naked from where I spent the night showing how much I love to score with her, but even I can’t enjoy the thoughts of that anymore with how she’s screaming. She doesn’t move, though—just screams, her hands balled up in fists. Then she’s moving her legs up and into her chest. I wrap my arms around her legs, squeezing her in my arms, trying to soothe her with my embrace. I nuzzle my nose in her neck, kissing her heated flesh and whispering, “Lou, I’m here. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
She jerks against me, almost as if she’s trying to get out of my arms, but then she goes still. Her heart is beating so hard, I can feel it making her body vibrate. Her breathing is labored, and soon she is shaking in my arms. I hold her closer, peppering her with kisses all over her shoulder and neck, reminding her that I’m here, and slowly her heart returns to a normal beat. I stroke my thumbs along her knees and close my eyes when she starts to cry. It breaks my heart to hear her cries, but what’s worse is feeling them. Her whole body shakes with each deep inhale and exhale. I kiss the back of her head, and I tighten my hold on her as her hands clutch my wrists where I hold her.
“You okay?”
She doesn’t answer right away, but then she whispers, “No, please. Just hold me.”
That was my plan. We stay like that for what feels like hours. I don’t move; I don’t say anything. I just hold her, unable to think of what else to do. Finally, as the sun begins to rise, her sobs subside and she relaxes in my arms, and I’m able to breathe steady again. I kiss along her shoulder, the raised skin of her scars a constant reminder of a past she doesn’t want to relive. With the light of the sun shining into our room, I’m met full force with the abuse she endured. This isn’t the first time I’ve traced these scars or hated the person who put them there. All I can think is that Dimitri told me that she took a lot of the abuse in order to protect her sisters. I’m not surprised. Louisa is the strongest woman I know, loves her sisters fiercely, and that only makes me love her more. She stiffens under my touch, which is new.
It catches me off guard. “Do you not want me to touch you?”
Her voice is rough as she whispers, “That’s not it. I just—” She pauses, her voice so enraged, it hits me in the gut. “I hate them.”
She doesn’t need to explain; I know what them means. The scars. “They’re a part of you.” I kiss one and then rub my nose along it. I’m reminded of when she thought these would keep me from loving her body. Oh, how wrong she was. “Lou, you’re utter perfection, scars and all.”
Louisa relaxes more and then turns in my arms, coming face-to-face with me. Her eyes are bloodshot, her nose running and red. But to me, she’s beautiful. She tucks her hands beneath my jaw, and I bring her flush with my body. Once her body is aligned with mine, I brush a stray piece of hair out of her eyes, eyes that hold such sorrow. “Do you wanna talk about it?”