Page 116 of Doomed

“I love you too,” I whisper, the words flowing easily. They’ve lived inside me for weeks, waiting for this moment. “So much, Knox.”

His lips crash against mine, but there’s nothing desperate or demanding about this kiss. It’s cherishing. I wrap my arms around his neck as he pulls me closer, his heartbeat thundering against my chest.

When we finally break apart, I see tears glistening in his eyes. Knox Blackwood—dangerous, untamable Knox—is crying for me. Because of me.

“You’ve ruined me,” he murmurs against my lips. “In the best possible way.”

I press my lips to his again, savoring the tenderness of this moment. How surreal that I’m standing here, my body humming from his touch, my heart overflowing with love for Knox Blackwood.

This man, whom I had despised. Who I swore I’d never give myself to.

Just months ago, I slapped his face in Elliot’s gallery when he touched me without permission. I rejected his calls, deleted his texts, and told myself he was nothing but trouble, determinedto resist his pull, convinced I was strong enough to deny the electricity between us.

Then came the Hollow’s Hunt. That black envelope with its red trim that changed everything.

I remember standing in that maze, heart pounding as I heard the horn signaling the hunters’ release. How terrified I was when Knox found me. How I fought him.

He hunted me down. Made me beg. Forced me to acknowledge desires I’d never admitted to myself. And somehow, in surrendering, I found freedom.

From prey to partner. From resistance to love.

I pull back, meeting his gaze. “If someone had told me when I first met you that I’d end up here—loving you, living with you, letting you...” I glance down at where the plug sits inside me, “...fuck me in every way imaginable, I would have thought they were insane.”

The irony isn’t lost on me. How completely I’ve given myself to the very man I was determined to resist. How willingly I’ve surrendered to his dominance while discovering my own power.

“And yet,” I whisper against his lips, “I can’t imagine being anywhere else but here.”

40

KNOX

The roar of engines fills the abandoned industrial district, a symphony of mechanical power that gets my blood pumping. Bianca stands beside me, her hand in mine, taking in the chaos of Ravenwood’s most exclusive illegal street race. Neon underglow lights illuminate the cracked asphalt, casting everyone in surreal colors.

“You sure you’re ready for this?” I ask, squeezing her hand.

Bianca’s eyes dance with excitement. “After everything I’ve survived with you, a street race seems tame.”

I laugh, pulling her against me. “Nothing about tonight will be tame, princess.”

Across the makeshift starting line, Xavier leans against his crimson BMW, Mira Sullivan at his side, looking both uncomfortable and intrigued. Vane approaches with Lia, his arm possessively around her waist.

“Look who finally showed up,” Xavier calls out, his smirk visible even in the dim light.

“Had to make sure Bianca was properly warmed up for the evening,” I reply, earning an elbow to my ribs from her.

Landon materializes from the shadows, his white bike gleaming under the streetlights. “Where’s Sadie?” I ask, noting his solo arrival.

“Working. Said she couldn’t leave her computer for something as ‘trivial’ as watching us risk our necks.” His tone is casual, but I catch the slight tension in his jaw.

While we discuss the race parameters, Bianca gravitates toward Mira and Lia. The three of them huddle together, whispering and occasionally laughing. It‘s strange seeing them together outside the Hunt—three women who not only survived the gauntlet of our family tradition but have begun to forge a bond of their own.

“Your girl’s fitting right in,” Vane says, nodding toward them.

I watch as Bianca animatedly tells a story, Mira and Lia hanging on her every word. “They all are.”

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Xavier muses, his eyes fixed on Mira. “The Hunt prey becoming... family.”

Landon snorts. “Is that what we’re calling it?”