Page 144 of Should Our Stars Collide

“Now say it. Say it, firecracker. Loud and clear.”

The tears spill over.

“I belong to you. I–I belong to you.”

The words are like a spell, lifting the curse that followed him around his whole life. The curse that made him feel so unlovable, so unimportant.

So unwanted.

“That’s right.” Ash is pounding into him relentlessly now, as if he’s trying to banish every dark, self-deprecating thought from his body and mind. “You belong tome.Me, no one else.”

The thread snaps, sudden and violent, and Kieran’s gone. His mouth falls open on a soundless scream, his cock shooting come all over his stomach and chest. It goes on forever, because Ash continues hammering into him, getting his prostate on every thrust. It hurts, the release making every nerve in Kieran’s body sensitized to an unbearable point.

It hurts, and Kieran loves it, the pain anchoring him in the moment. In this moment where it’s just him and Ash and this fragile, temporary, perfect thing that belongs to them.

He wants to cling onto this feeling, carry it with him wherever he ends up, however long he has to wait. Even if everything else disappears like it was never there, this feeling will stay. A reminder that someone out there wants him, even if the rest of the world casts him away like a piece of trash. That he’s worth so much more than he ever let himself believe.

“What about me?” Ash asks. He’s barely pulling out now, just rutting into Kieran like he can’t bear to be separated for even a second. “Who do I belong to?”

“Me,” Kieran stammers through the pleasure-pain. “You belong to me.”

“Fuck.”

That’s the only warning he gets before Ash’s movements stutter, his arms tighten, and then he stills. Seconds later, he’s pumping Kieran full of come, his cock throbbing with every jet.

A weird, primal part of Kieran’s brain translates it as Ash marking him as his. It feels like a brand, like sealing the deal. He sighs, feeling tired, satiated and full. He can sense his consciousness slipping away bit by bit. He doesn’t fight it, doesn’t need to. He’s safe, loved, and exactly where he’s supposed to be.

He drifts off to the soft sound of Ash’s voice, lulling him to sleep.

“I love you. You are mine. I love you.”

Love you too.

31

It’s only been three days. Only three fucking days since they had unhinged, mind-blowing sex. Kieran’s ass still hasn’t recovered, neither has his pride.

To Ash, three days is apparently long enough to forget about all the possessive, co-dependent, sappy shit he spewed—and did!—that makes Kieran want to burrow himself six feet deep. To Ash, letting Kieran meet the in-laws is deemed crossing a line!

Hands on his hips, Kieran plants himself in front of the front door, glaring like a guard dog warning off an intruder. Except Ash isn’t an intruder, he’s just an asshole, and he’s trying to get out, not in. Well, tough shit!

“Are youkiddingme? After everything that happened, all that sweet shit you said, you still won’t let me do this for you?”

The jerk has the audacity to look Kieran straight in his stormy eyes and say, “There’s no need for you to be there.”

“Like hell there isn’t!”

“It wouldn’t change anything. You’d just witness a guy in his mid-thirties being spoken to like he’s a misbehaving toddler.”

Kieran throws his arms wide open. “I could beyourbodyguard for a change!” Helovesgiving assholes a piece of his mind. He’s literally the perfect person to be by Ash’s side for an occasion like this. So what the fuck is the problem?

A stray, ugly thought crosses his mind. “You said your folks are allabout appearances. Does that mean you’re ashamed of me?”

“On the contrary. I’d love to see their dumbstruck faces when meeting you.” A smile flickers across Ash’s lips, as if he just imagined it happening.

Doubt disintegrating as quickly as it came, Kieran smiles back despite trying not to.

“Great, so why?—”