Page 25 of Revenge Saints

She collapses forward, her knees buckling. I catch her before she hits the ground, dragging her into my arms, holding her so damn close . I’m afraid she’ll vanish.

“Aspen…” I breathe into her ear, shaking.

“I love you.” She whispers.

I freeze.

No fucking way.

My chest goes still, and my lungs lock up. Did she just…?

I tip her chin up, needing to see her eyes. “What?”

They’re red, wet with more than tears; there’s fury there, heartbreak,hope. Her cheeks are blotchy, her mouth trembling, but she doesn’t back down.

“Aspen, you love Dante,”

She shoves me. Not hard, but enough to jolt me. I let her. Hell, I welcome it. If this is how she wants to let out the rage, let it be on me.Let it fucking hurt.

“Just Dante?” She snaps, shoving me again. “What, you think everything we did didn’t mean anything?”

Her eyes widen. “Oh my God… I’m so fucking stupid.” She stumbles back as if the realization just hit her like a knife in her gut.

“Aspen!” I snap, louder now, rough like gravel. I see where her mind is going, and Iwon’tlet her go there.

I storm toward her, and she tries to back away, limping, but she’s not fast enough, not with that leg. I close the distance, grip her face in my hands, and force her to look at me.

Her eyes, fuck, those eyes, they’re shattered.

“It didn’t mean anything to you,” she whispers, broken.

No. Fuck no.

I crash my mouth to hers, not gentle, not soft.She fights it, her fists beating against my chest, but I don’t let her go. I deepen the kiss, raw and bruising, my tongue parting her lips like I’m starving for her. Because I am.

This girl… this woman… She’s mine, ours.

She melts into me, arms wrapping around my neck, her fight dissolving as I hold her close. Her body softens and sinks into mine, and I finally pull back, panting against her lips.

“Don’t ever think you don’t mean anything, Aspen.” I stare at her. “You’re the only thing keeping me fucking sane right now. You’re my safe harbor. My tether.Myeverything.”

I kiss her again, desperate and rough, her tears hot between us.

Fuck, I need her.

She leans away, chest rising and falling like she just ran through fire, eyes locked on mine. No more tears now, but something else burns in them.

“I,” She stutters, cheeks flushing that perfect red.

“You what, pet?”I growl against her throat, stepping in until there’s no space left between us. One hand curls around the back of her neck, anchoring her, as I kiss her there, then drag my teeth over her skin just enough to make her shiver.

“I need you,”

Her breath hitches. She still struggles to say the words, to ask for what she wants.

My hand slides down to her ass, and I grab it, hard. She gasps.

“You need me towhat, huh?” I don’t stop my mouth. I kiss her, bite her, tongue dragging over her pulse as her whimper escapes.