Page 137 of Stolen Temptation

“I didn’t even understand what love was until you came running into my life.”

I thought admitting my feelings would be a challenge, but as soon as I do, a burden lifts off my chest. She should know, even if she can never return them. I’m pretty sure she cares for me. And that’s enough. Far more than someone like me deserves.

“I love you too.” Her words come out watery and half-choked, but it doesn’t matter.

My hands convulse from shock. I don’t notice that I’m squeezing her tightly to my chest until pain lashes me.

Black dots pepper my vision, but I’ll take that trade-off any day. “How can…are you sure that…even though I’m likethis? You really love me, even though you deserve so much better?”

She nods, brushing her nose against mine. “I really love you.” She laughs, but it sounds more like a sob. “I really love you, and I don’t even know your last name.”

What was that about a hole in my chest? Because I can’t feel it now. Nothing registers but the swell of joy and the blood rushing through my ears as I admire her stupidly beautiful face.

“O’Connor.”

Her pretty smile acts like a natural endorphin. “Rory O’Connor. I like it.”

“And I like you. No, I love you.” My smile is probably goofy as hell, but I don’t care. “Kiara, I’m so in?—”

A fresh round of gunfire draws my attention. Shit. I nearly forgot where we are. With a groan, I kiss her forehead and pull away.

“Stay out of sight.” It takes everything in me to tear my eyes off her gorgeous face. I turn on my heel and sprint in the same direction Leo went.

It’s time to finish this.

Chapter 36

Kiara

No, no, no.

I just got Rory back, and now he’s running off to go fight Leo on his own?

Panic jump-starts me into movement. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let anything happen to Rory. He said I’m the woman he loves.

He loves me back.

With vicious hands, I dig into the wedding dress impeding my legs and start ripping fabric as quickly as I can. I don’t stop until a pile of discarded tulle lays on the ground at my feet.

Jesus, these heels didn’t seem that hard to move in until right now, when I’m all-out sprinting after Rory and Leo. I only waste a couple seconds yanking them off my feet.

Please, God, don’t let anything happen to him.

The last time the two of them faced off, Rory got shot. I can’t go through that again. I can’t watch as he falls to the ground. This time, I’ve got to do something.

That future that flashed before my eyes when he went down, bleeding…I want it. I want that future with him more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. And now that I know it’spossible, that he wants to be with me, too, I’m going to fight for it.

With everything I have.

Until I run out of air to breathe.

My footsteps are well-hidden beneath the percussive aria of bullets whizzing back and forth through this sanctuary.

I don’t know what I’m running up on, but I’m expecting chaos.

What I don’t expect are all the bodies.

Men with our family’s tattoos on their skin lie scattered behind the barricade. It’s more like a corpse enclosure than a battle station.