Page 193 of Only for Him

His lips move against mine, ravenous. I answer with everything I have left. His fingers curl around my neck, anchoring me as I surrender—not to him, but tous.

“Thank you” I murmur, words laced with a sweetness I didn’t think I could allow myself to feel. “Thank you for choosing me.”

He tilts his head, that small, rare smile breaking through the remnants of pain.

“I’m not sure I was ever the one doing the choosing,” he says. “I think it might have been you all along.”

With the world still pressing at the edges of this moment, I braid our fingers together. It’s the only truth I need, the dangerous whisper of love.

“I don’t remember asking anyone to bring me a whole bunch of goddamn roses when I didn’t even own a vase,” I say, crawling into the hospital bed beside him, careful not to jostle his wounds.

The contact isn’t enough, I need him inside me, but for now, it anchors us: a quiet act of defiance against everything that’s tried to tear us apart. A promise forged in scars and fire.

“I take it back, little viper,” he says, mouth moving gently against my hair, and I can feel his smile spreading. “Idohave things left to give you.”

I believe him.

49

GISELLE

The bar humswith a low murmur that makes everything else feel muted, like I’ve stepped into an alternate reality. In some ways, I have.

In this reality, I can go for a drink with Teddy without Roman threatening to eviscerate him.

I swirl my whiskey, watching the ice clink against the glass, and remember the last time this happened.

Me and Teddy reuniting, getting a casual drink together, laughing at old jokes.

Me looking around the bar for the man I didn’t yet know was Roman.

My heart skipping every time I wondered what he meant by punishment.

Make no mistake. Even though he no longer sees Teddy as a threat, that old, primal, possessive jealousy will never leave.

I don’t want it to.

I fucking love it.

But if we’re going to make this work, he has to trust that I’m his.

And if he doesn’t—if he decides I need reminding—well, I’m not exactly opposed to that, either.

I’m getting a little wet just thinking about it. Roman is disturbingly inventive when it comes to pain. Even more so when it comes to pleasure.

As though reading my mind from a borough away, my burner phone buzzes.

You’re lucky I let you out of my sight, little viper. You know what happens if he even thinks about touching you.

I bite my lip, even wetter now as I imagine what he’d do to me if I stayed out later than I promised.

I’m half tempted to do it, just to see.

But no, he’s still technically on bed rest.

I mean, we could stay in bed…

“Giselle.” Teddy’s voice breaks through the fog, warm and familiar. He slides into the seat across from me and leans back, crossing his arms. He’s trying for cool, but there’s a tightness in his shoulders I can’t ignore. I shoot off a reassuring text to Roman before giving Teddy my full attention.