Page 96 of The Bonds We Break

“I will sell my house and move here. I will get a small place to rent for the first year. It’s not healthy to dive straight into living together. In return, you will allow Saint fully back into the club.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I’ll help you sell your house and move here. We’ll remodel my home together. As you saw, it needs work, and I’ve never gotten around to it. We’ll use that time to get to know each other. And once it’s finished, finally, it will be ours, and I’ll carry you over the threshold as my old lady.”

“I feel like that’s upping the stakes.”

I kiss the tip of her nose because I can. Because my woman is back here in my bed. “You chased after me.”

“Because you ran out on me.”

“Because I love you. Which, again, you still haven’t said back. You’re kinda leaving a guy hanging.”

“In fairness, you were intent on leaving me hanging for the rest of my life, so ...”

I can’t help but laugh. “Okay. The deal. Move here. Be with me. Admit we’re on a path to always. We’ll reno the house. I’ll build you a dream office, and you can do whatever you want to with the garden.”

When she smiles at the wordgarden, I know I’ve got her.

“I’ll get you a greenhouse and a potting shed. We’ll build raised beds for vegetables. You can replant the whole fucking thing.”

“And you’ll forgive Saint?”

“Babe, I’d forgive Jeffrey Dahmer if you told me you love me, and it meant I could slide my cock in you right now.”

“It’s a deal.”

“And?”

She wriggles a little until the head of my cock is right at her opening. I rub against the wetness I feel, not sliding into her yet. Because there’s one thing I need to hear before I can.

“I love you too, King. I love you more than I thought was possible.”

I hinge my hips to thrust into her, but she moves a little so I can’t. “Babe, you can’t expect me to not fuck you now that I know you love me too.”

“One last thing.”

I groan playfully. “What, for the love of god, before my cock falls off?”

“Next time you want to do something nice for me, just buy me salted caramel. No skillets, yeah?”

Fuck, I really do love this woman. I can’t wait another moment. I grab her ass cheeks, position her where I want her, and slide inside. There’s wetness and a little friction until I pull out and slide back in again.

“Never thought I’d get to do this again,” I mumble against her neck.

Her nails drag along my back, and I love the sting of them. I love her nails, love her body, I even love her quotes from Shakespeare. But the thing I love most? She’s here.

“You drove here for me?” I say simultaneously to the realization that she did. I stop thrusting.

“King,” she moans.

I roll her onto her back and position myself over her. “No. Seriously. You came here to claim me.”

Rae stares up at me, her eyes filled with frustration. “I did. And I think you should move your hips and show me how grateful you are.”

I can’t help but laugh at my little spitfire. But when I kiss her, her hands thread around my neck. “I would have come back for you tomorrow. Not sure I could have held out for much longer without you.”

This time she kisses me. “I might have been less angry if you had. But you are worth chasing, Uther.”

Slowly, I start to move, and something in my chest cracks open at her words. I don’t know when I started to doubt my worth or my place on the planet. But it ends now, with my cock deep inside her and starlight in her eyes.