Page 98 of Swerve (Boosted Hearts 1)

“Drop it,” he screamed.

I kept gun on the guy. “Zeke?” I didn’t take my eyes of the fucker in front of me.

Zeke grunted. “I’ll live.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. I needed to get him to a hospital before he bled out.

“Drop it,” Edwards screamed again. “Or your friend takes another bullet, this time to the head.”

“You do that and you won’t make it out of here alive.”

“I mean it, I’ll blow his brains out.”

“Put the gun down,” I said low.

“I’m going to do it,” he roared.

“Put it down!” I yelled.

He spun to Zeke, aimed . . .

I fired and Edwards dropped to the floor.

* * *

Ruby

I knew the minute Neco walked into the bedroom. He walked on silent feet, but I sensed him. I’d always been able to do that, like his soul somehow called to mine. The sound of clothes rustling came next. We needed to talk, to clear the air, but I craved his hands on me. He’d denied me earlier, had shook his head, warding off my touch. It was a small thing compared to everything we’d said to each other, but I hadn’t been able to get it out on my head.

The covers flicked back then the bed dipped. I didn’t know what to expect, but him rolling so he was pressed against my back wasn’t it.

“Ruby,” he murmured. “We need to . . .”

I rolled in his arms. I didn’t want to argue, and that’s what would happen if we tried to talk this out right now. I shook my head and pressed closer. “Just let me touch you. I need to touch you,” I said against the corner of his mouth.

His arms convulsed around me. “Baby?”

I hadn’t done a good job of concealing my panic. He’d heard it, and like the protector he was, responded. I didn’t want to say the words, express the way I was feeling, the awful realization I’d come to while he’d been out. I just wanted to feel. No thinking. Not now.

I shook my head again and pushed him to his back and gazed down at him.

He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. “You’re so beautiful,” he rasped.

“So are you,” I whispered back.

For now, he was going to let me have my way and I was more thankful for it than he could ever know. Taking the bottom of my shirt in my hands, I drew it up and flung it aside. His hands slid up my thighs to my hips, fingers tracing the Superman symbol there. He didn’t break eye contact with me and I didn’t look away from him. I trailed my hands down his chest, soaking it in, his warmth, his hardness, his strength.

“I love you, Ruby,” he said in a soft, intense voice that had the ability to destroy me.

I stretched out on him, curling my hands around the sides of his neck, along his jaw, pressing kisses in their wake. His hands trailed over my back, my waist, my ass. I lifted up and looked down at him, taking in every familiar precious detail of his face. Would I have to give this up? Was my independence worth losing the love of my life? That was the question I’d been asking myself since he walked out the door. If he didn’t bend, and I turned into the Ruby he wanted me to be, would I survive it?

I didn’t think so.

I couldn’t go back to that, and I didn’t know how to make him understand.

One of his hands trailed up my body and he slid his thumb over my jaw, my cheek.

“I love you, too,” I whispered back, then pressed my mouth to his. He kissed me deep and slow, and I kissed him back with just as much intensity.