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“Canwe get outta here?”Iwhisper over his mouth.

HisAdam’sapple bobs, daring me to lean in and trace the black lines of his tattoo with wet kisses.

Withoutsaying a word, he grabs my hand, leads me out of the bar, and opens the passenger side door to theHellcat.Hetakes my hand as he peels out of the parking lot, holding it on top of the center console.

Zaksqueezes my hand as he takes a right, going the long way home.

Ibreathe a sigh of relief, thankful that he’s not willing to take a chance.

Withthe sun glaring over the road, the shadows that creep alongside the trees don’t seem to morph into something more sinister.Theonly thing following us is an roaring fire burning in my core to kiss and touchZakeverywhere, all at once.

Chapter35

“Paradise”

–Vespera

Comingback to the twins’place feels wildly different—it feels likeI’vecome home.

Ipeek over my shoulder, eyeballing the tree line.Paranoiateases the edge of my mind, likeI’veescaped death once or twice and fate might be following me for skipping the bridge again tonight.

Thedoor unlocks, butZakdoesn’t open it.Instead, he turns and faces me, watching me carefully.

“What—”

“Don’ttalk.”

Mybrows knit in confusion.

Helicks his lips. “Ilove you, but you fucking hurt me.”

Myheart plummets into an ice bath in my stomach.

“Sothe second we get inside the house,Iwant to leave it all out here and forget about it.Iwanna forget the fact that you betrayed me and left me.”Thosedelicious honey brown eyes light up as they briefly glance over me. “You’regonna make up for all of it.”

Inod vigorously. “Okay, hon.”

“Isaid stop talking,” he reiterates with a harsh tone and stern expression. “Theonly wordsIwant to hear are ‘Ilove you’ when you’re not coming on my face or my dick.”

Myjaw drops to the ground.Idon’t know where thisZakcame from—he’s never been a rough or commanding lover.

Hetakes my hand and leads me inside the cold, dark house.Bloodrushes through my ears as we approach his bedroom.

Themoment we pass the threshold, everything else disappears.

Zak’smouth on mine is more intoxicating than any margarita or hit ever will be.Hisarms around me is the homeI’vemissed all this time.

WhydidIthink leaving was the solution?

Hereaches over his head to grab the back of his shirt and pulls it off, tossing it at our feet.

I’vealready seen him shirtless, but nowI’mup close and personal,Ifeel likeIcan’t breathe from how ripped he is.

Washboardabs glare at me under a solid veil of tattoos.TheAlamosplays across his stomach, and underneath itMadeinSanAntonioin chunky block letters screams loud and proud, filled in with theTexasflag.OurLadyofGuadalupecovers his chest, surrounded by sun rays and roses watching over theAlamo.Rosescrawl over his shoulders and turn into an assortment of shattered clocks, doves, rosaries, stars, decorative swirls, and ribbons on angry biceps and forearms.

AllofZakcommands thatIshed my clothes.And, goddamn it,Iwant to jump his bones.

ButIswallow the desire burning up my core.Ileave a trail of wet kisses down his throat, chest, and stomach.