Page 47 of Bound By Flames

“I’m not right for you either, and yet here we fucking are.”

“I don’t know, I—” her brown eyes are getting all watery, “with Kiara and the food thing, it’s…,” She shakes her head. Yeah, I see my girl is too fucking overwhelmed to talk right now. Too many things to think of and no one to help her process it.

“It’s, I mean, I’m a mess.” She chuckles, but there's nothing funny about the icy cold tone of her voice.

I was a shitty husband. This ends now.

“How ‘bout you just stay in my arms and try not to think of anything,” I suggest to her.

“As if it would help.” She sniffs. “You’re serious?” I look at her deadpan. “I’m still mad at you, you know.” Her pouty lips look all pink and full in the moonlight.

“I know,” I say without containing a slight grin.

“Just—just a minute,” her trembling voice complies as if she was trying to convince herself.

“Just a minute,” I assure her. Holding her in my arms, her cinnamon scent expands in the air until it becomes a part of my oxygen, of what I need to live.

If she needs a safe place, I’ll be her shelter.

If she needs guidance, I’ll be her compass.

If she needs support, I’ll be her anchor.

Anything she’ll need, I will provide.

I’m falling. Hard.

Maybe I already fell all the way when I watched her that day through her window. I won’t deny it. I'm falling hard for my wife, and I’ll be damned if I don’t make her fall for me too.

I’ve taken over cities, stared down enemies stronger than me, and risen from the ashes more times than I can count. But this time, I’m fighting for her, for us. And I won’t stop until she’s mine in every way. Whatever it takes, I’ll break down every wall she has until she knows she’s mine for good.

She’s the fight that’ll end all fights.

She’s worth every battle.

I’m all in, and I’m gonna make sure she is too. A minute passes, then a few more, and I remark how her body melts into mine like it’s meant to be. Like it belongs right here, in the closeness of my flesh, in the space I’ve carved out just for her.

We don’t say anything more. I lower myself to swipe her up in my arms and carry her back through the forest to ourhome. Her face rests on my chest as I carry her small body, her scent becoming a part of me, like ink imprinted on my skin.

Once we’re past the stairs, I bring her to our bathroom, the mug still covering our clothes. My Mia is exhausted, dark circles blooming under her eyes as I kneel before her to remove her sneakers, her hands resting on my shoulders to stay upright.

“We’re almost done,” I assure her.

“You don’t have to, it’s, it’s fine,” she claims, but her voice betrays her. I look up at her face, watching this breathtaking woman and wonder if she’ll stop me. Our eyes meet, and she nods, lifting a corner of her perfect lips. “Just for this time, big guy, but don’t get your hopes up.”

Damn, I missed her sassy mouth.

I grin back with a shrug. “I’ll take what I can get, princess.”

Her lips curl into a smile as she gently shakes her head, and I know that this face, this freaking face will be the end of me.

With steady hands, I help her get out of her clothes until she’s in nothing more but her blue underwear. In any other circumstances, I’d let the caveman in me act but here, with Mia, it’s all fucking different. I keep my gaze up, watching her beautiful red hair on her shoulders, hoping she’ll see that I’m not playing, that I’m not gawking at her like a lion but like a painter would look at a masterpiece.

Tonight’s about her trusting me to be a better man.

To be the husband she deserves.

So I shove my twisted thoughts away and take her hand until I pull her under the covers and tuck her in. Making sure she’s warm and safe inourhome. It may take time before she fully admits it, but it is.