Page 100 of Jace
Searching her eyes, I focus as I do with my camera. Finally able to name the emotion seizing her.
Shame.
The one prison I can’t seem to free her from.
“Please don’t apologize.” I soften my tone and grasp. “I’m not mad. They’re not mad. You’re one of us, and we don’t mind.”
She blinks, wrestling with her willingness to believe it.
I need her to trust me. “I didn’t join them. I didn’t…bondwith Alena. I touched her. I helped Loch give her what she wanted, and?—”
“It’s okay.” Vivian takes a tentative step back, but I don’t let go. “I don’t need details. Don’t violate her privacy for my sake.”
Good god, this woman.My Smokeshow. My sweetheart. My soulmate. Protecting her caring heart will be the gift of a lifetime.
My throat chokes with emotion, knowing where this is coming from.
“You don’t want me to tell you about Alena because you don’t want to tell me aboutyou? About the video?” She winces, so I assure. “And it’s okay. I don’t need to know. I don’t need…”
I let go of her arms to tenderly cup her cheeks. “I don’t need anything but you, Vivian Tate. So don’t go. Stay here with me.”
Something bites at my eyes, almost blurring my vision. It swells in my chest until it burns through everything that’s been holding me back.
It’s just this fire.
This truth.
This light.
“Stay with me and let me love you.” I anchor my gaze to hers, swearing it to her eyes. “I love you, Vivian Tate. I have since the moment I saw you smiling, taking a picture of a baby at the ice cream store. You didn’t know I was there, and I didn’t know how I’d ever live without you. How I’d ever get a chance to love you, but now I can, so don’t walk out that door. Don’t make me wait another minute to love you for the rest of my life.”
I press my lips to hers, sliding my hands from her cheeks into her silky hair, strands of her ponytail laced in my grasp.
She whimpers into our kiss, our lips melding, our tongues meeting. After a hot moment fused, her tears salt our kiss. Her deep emotions make me moan, diving into them, tugging her hair so I can take even more and never give them back.
You belong with me.
“I love you too.” She sighs over my lips. “I love you so much, Jace, and I don’t want us to wait. I want to be with you, it’s just…” There’s that tone again. The shame, seizing her voice. “I don’t ever want to lie to you. I feel like you should know what I?—”
“Know what?” I lift from her lips so I can kiss the soft column of her throat.
I know Vivian’s battle now, and like fuck if I won’t fight for her. Like hell if I won’t win for us.
“Know that you’re shy?” I nibble her flesh, and she trembles. “Know that you feel shame because what you saw up there aroused you?” I suck her neck, and she moans. “Know that you’ll trust me and tell me you want it too, don’t you?” I gaze at her. “Because you know what’s happening right now. Alena wants to receive more than one king tonight. She wants four to serve her, and theyare.”
“Oh god.” Vivian shudders, sighing as I boldly fondle her breast, my dick rock hard, aroused by her pebbled nipple under the soft, crocheted fabric.
“Don’t ever feel shame with me, Vivian.” I clasp her flushed face. “I will never judge you or hurt you. Because why? Why, baby? Tell me why you’re always safe with me.”
A tear spills over her lashes, her smile quivering. “Because you love me.”
Softly, I kiss her lips. “Say it again.”
“You love me.”
I nuzzle my nose to hers. “And what does love mean between us? Me and you: what have we built together, waiting so fucking long for this?”
She doesn’t waver, shining up at me. “Trust. Respect. Safety. I adore you, Jace. I love everything about you; you’re my best friend. But good god…” She reaches down between us, palming my hard cock. Shivers shooting down my thighs. “I want you so much too.” She squeezes my shaft, begging, “Please. Now.”
