Page 71 of Fractured Devotion (Tainted Souls #1)

Six months later.

The sea air is sharp but clean as it drifts through the open windows, carrying the scent of salt and fresh jasmine from the garden.

I sit at the edge of the clinic’s garden patio with a steaming cup of tea in hand, watching the sun rise over the waves.

We built this new clinic by the coast, tucked in a serene town where life drifts at an easy pace.

It suits me.

It suits all of us.

Alec is somewhere out back, likely tending to the garden beds or organizing files, always steady, always near.

It’s still early morning, just after sunrise. The world is still, wrapped in that soft, golden light.

The clinic isn’t open for the day yet. The doors are still locked, the lights low, the morning just beginning to stir.

Mara’s here early, finishing paperwork at the front desk and chatting easily with a familiar face—one of our long-term patients since we opened, who sometimes stops by for company, no appointment necessary. Their voices drift through the muted space, soft with laughter and easy conversation.

But there’s no need to rush through these early hours.

Not for anyone here.

Least of all me.

I sip my tea, letting the warmth spread through me.

Some mornings, I still wake up with that old weight pressing against my ribs.

But today isn’t one of those mornings.

Today feels wide open and soft around the edges.

I rise from my seat and head inside, leaving the soft morning air behind as I move through the familiar hallways of the clinic. My steps lead me upstairs, into the private quarters above, where the rooms are filled with soft light and the scent of fresh linen.

This space is ours alone—serene, tucked away, and untouched by the world below.

I begin getting ready for the day, pulling on a soft robe, brushing out my hair, and grounding myself in the simple routine.

After a while, I settle onto the couch, the cushions soft beneath me, grounding me in the stillness.

That’s when I hear it—footsteps behind me. Steady and familiar.

Alec appears in the doorway, his gaze lingering on me with an unspoken intent, watching me with that steady gaze that has never tried to rush me.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice calm.

I nod, and my smile is soft when I murmur, “Yeah.”

He crosses the room and settles beside me, his shoulder warm against mine.

We sit there for a moment, staring out at the waves.

“It still surprises me,” Alec says after a while, his voice thoughtful, “how far we’ve come. How much we survived.”

I glance at him, seeing the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, the subtle strength in every angle of his face.

“Sometimes it surprises me too,” I admit.

His hand finds mine, our fingers threading together easily.

“But I’m glad we’re here,” he says, squeezing my hand gently.

I smile, leaning into him. “Me too.”

We sit in the stillness for a little longer, the morning stretching unhurriedly and sweetly.

And then I turn toward him, letting the weight of everything between us settle into something more.

Something electric.

“Come with me,” I whisper, my voice dipping low.

His eyes darken, but he doesn’t ask where.

He already knows.

I lead him toward the bed, my hand never leaving his.

The room is quiet except for our breaths, the air heavy with something slow and molten.

I pull him close, and our mouths meet, fierce and searching.

His lips claim mine with a hunger that simmers beneath every brush of skin.

He tastes like heat, like home.

I slide my hands under his shirt, feeling the firm planes of his chest, and tracing every scar and muscle with a possessive touch.

He groans deep in his throat as I push the fabric up and over his head.

“You’re beautiful,” I breathe against his lips.

“So are you,” he growls, his hands gripping my hips tightly.

My robe slips from my shoulders with a soft rustle, pooling at our feet.

His hands roam freely, sliding along my bare skin and savoring every curve.

“I need you,” I whisper, my voice thick with need.

“You have me,” he replies, his voice rough with restraint.

He lowers me onto the bed, his body pressing me into the cool sheets, comforting, solid, and overwhelming in all the ways I crave.

But then he pulls back, just enough to rise over me, his eyes locked to mine as his hands move to undo the buttons of his shirt, intentionally taking his time, like he wants me to watch every movement.

I do.

I watch as he strips away each layer, his focus never breaking, peeling himself down to bare skin with a kind of subtle hunger. Every motion feels intentional, like a promise made in silence.

And when he finally comes back to me, the air feels heavier, charged and waiting.

His mouth travels lower, leaving wet, open-mouthed kisses along my collarbone, down to the swell of my breasts.

He takes his time, sucking and teasing and drawing soft gasps and whimpers from me as I arch beneath him.

“You drive me insane,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my skin.

“Good,” I pant, threading my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.

He trails lower, kissing down my belly, licking and biting gently until I’m trembling beneath him.

When he finally reaches the ache between my thighs, he pauses, his eyes locking with mine, dark and filled with heat. “Say it,” he demands, his voice thick.

“Please,” I beg, my voice wrecked and desperate.

His mouth descends, and I shatter.

He licks and sucks with ruthless precision, his tongue teasing every sensitive spot until I’m gasping and clawing at the sheets, my hips bucking against his mouth.

“Alec,” I cry, my body unraveling under his relentless touch.

“Let go for me,” he rasps, his voice vibrating against me.

And I do.

I come apart with a loud, broken moan, waves of pleasure crashing through me as he holds me steady, his hands gripping my thighs tightly.

He doesn’t stop until I’m shaking, spent, and breathless.

Then, he crawls back up, his mouth capturing mine in a kiss that tastes like everything we’ve become.

I can feel him hard and ready against me, and I reach between us, wrapping my hand around him and stroking gently.

“Now,” I whisper, my voice rough with need.

He groans, lining himself up and pushing inside me in one deep, claiming thrust.

We both gasp, the sensation overwhelming.

He moves with steady strokes, filling me completely with every thrust.

Our bodies move together in a rhythm that feels endless, primal.

“You’re mine,” he growls, his voice a firm snarl in my ear.

“Always,” I moan, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him deeper.

The pace quickens, our bodies colliding with raw, desperate need.

The sounds fill the room—moans, gasps, and the slap of skin against skin.

“I love you,” he pants, his voice breaking.

“I love you too,” I cry, clinging to him as we climb higher.

Every thrust brings me closer, my body tightening around him.

“Come with me,” he commands, his voice wrecked.

“Yes,” I gasp.

We fall together, spiraling into release, our cries mingling as we shatter in each other’s arms.

The world narrows to this, just us, tangled in sweat and heat and something too deep to name.

He collapses against me, breathless, his heart thundering against mine.

We stay like that, wrapped around each other, the air thick with everything we don’t need to say.

Because we already know.

This is forever.

And for the first time, I realize I don’t feel like I’m holding my breath.

I’m not waiting for something to shatter.

I’m just here.

Alive.

Free.

Loved.

When Alec presses a kiss to my temple, I smile.

Because this is where we stay.

At peace.

Together.