Page 26 of UnWholly Angels (Crestview Cardinals #1)

Chapter Thirteen

Maya

H is eyes never left mine, and I took a step back.

The cold rail of the balcony was biting at my skin.

This was the first time he’d been the one to make the first move emotionally and unafraid to be vulnerable with me.

I was scared it was just an act to get me in bed.

Maybe he just created his own little game after listening to what was supposed to be a private conversation.

“I figured you would follow me up here one of these days. I just didn’t think it would be the first night I was up here,” I muttered as he closed the distance between us. “Don’t mock me, and please don’t mock my insecurities,” I said, my voice rising slightly. “What do you want from me, Riley?”

He just stood there, not saying a word as his fingers flexed at his sides. He was nervous; I could tell by the way his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat each time he swallowed. In a small act of defiance, I chuckled lowly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Tell me why I shouldn’t pack what little I have and risk Rocco finding me? Give me one reason not to end this right here, right now. I can’t stay here and walk by you without that stupid flutter in my chest and false hope."

His eyes snapped to mine instantly, staring in disbelief.

I wouldn’t really do that. Riley had no idea I was bluffing, but the hurt that swam in his eyes caused the facade to fall away.

I softened my gaze, watching intently as he took in my words.

Before long, the spring of tension threatened to snap the more he moved to close the space between us.

"I want you to submit knowing you will be protected and loved the way you deserve with a little bit of patience.” His eyes darkened as he stepped forward again.

I swallowed thickly, cursing myself that I didn’t move away from the balcony before starting all of this.

He went through great lengths to hear how I felt before, so he was going to get it. “You’re mine.”

I could feel the heat of his body each step he took until we were chest to chest, well, more like forehead to chest. He was losing control listening to my words, his chest rising and falling faster as he waited for my next words.

“Oh, am I now? What happened to being nothing more than sloppy seconds? Pretty hard to sell the ‘you’re mine’ statement when you don’t treat me as such.

Stop with the mixed signals and tell me something.

” My heart pounded against my ribcage, watching his body quiver with anger, but it was too late to stop now.

His jaw ticked. “I don’t care if I have to drag you out of Rocco’s house myself. The next time you leave this house will be because of old age, when you die in your fucking bed after me. Do you want to know why?”

The wind howled around us and blew hair to my face, strands sticking against the tears I never realized were falling.

His hand reached out, and out of habit, I flinched away.

But quickly, I remembered who I was truly dealing with.

I tried to tell him it was okay with a pleading look, and after a few moments, he understood, cupping my face gently.

His cold fingers traced along my jawline, running softly along the smooth skin before using two fingers to tilt my chin up to face him.

“Because I have nothing without you. I’m alive, but I am not living, Maya.

My life has consisted of hockey, casual sex, and alcohol when the misery becomes too much to bear.

You are so far under my skin, it fucking hurts.

Not one day has gone by where I didn’t think about you or silently dedicate the game-winning goal to you .

When I’m with you, I don’t want to be angry anymore.

I just want to live the rest of my life in fucking peace, something I thought I would never have until now.

It’s right there, Maya. Can’t you feel it? ”

Desire and longing showed through his blazing eyes. He had to catch his breath, and I wasn’t even sure he had taken one while he spoke his truth.

“I wish I believed you, but we knew what this was. Sooner or later, Rocco will come for me, and I won’t stand by and have you making promises you can’t keep.” My lip trembled as the words tumbled out of my mouth. “This is so wrong. I should have let you keep thinking I was dead.”

He released my chin, eyes trained on my face, searching for the words.

Instead, his finger shot out, resting at the base of my neck before skimming down my body, leaving a fire behind as he circled my nipple.

I shuddered, heat spreading throughout my body as his fingers lightly brushed against the scars on my abdomen when he reached under my shirt.

I placed my hand over his wrist, prying his hand away, trying to move past him, rubbing his arm in comfort as I passed.

Maybe we’d speak about this again over coffee in the morning, but right now, I couldn’t find it in me to continue.

My heart was already threatening to implode from having to feel all of this.

I was no more than five feet away when I felt fingers clutch around my neck and pull me backward. Riley pulled me into his rigid chest, and a whimper left me as his grip tightened, forcing my head up to look into his blazing eyes.

“I don’t quite remember saying we were finished,” he said dangerously.

His words sent shivers down my spine, and before I knew it, Riley’s hands were under my legs, hoisting me up. I was forced to sit on the rail of the balcony and hold onto him tightly or risk falling.

“How does it feel, Maya?” He raised his voice.

A scream ripped through me as he used my hair as a weapon, forcing my head back so I had no choice but to hang further over the ledge.

The only thing I could do was tighten my legs around him, making sure to hook my ankles together and press them against his back.

Right now, that was my lifeline. “This is how you have me. I’m not just wrapped around your finger; I’m hanging off the ledge, and you decide whether I jump.

Just like I can decide right now to save myself the trouble and throw you the fuck off this roof. ”

He wouldn’t…would he?

“I’ll scream,” I panicked, my hands flying to my head, trying to untwist his fingers.

A sob pushed its way through my throat as the tears pooled in my eyes.

I shouldn’t have, but my eye met his penetrating gaze, and the darkened expression scared me.

This was a man I didn’t recognize. This man’s eyes held a possessive, almost animalistic look.

“And what neighbors are going to hear you, Maya? Look around,” he grinned. “It’s just you and me now.”

As scary as this was, I was equally exhilarated, and he knew that, smirking as his head dipped low.

This was it, twelve years of separation leading up to this moment, this kiss.

My jaw trembled as I stared into his softening eyes.

We can't mess this up, not this time. This wasn’t the parking garage; This was Maya and Riley.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest as he remained just over my lips, yet to touch them, teasing me. “Well, are you going to close the distance?”

He wanted me to take control of this, so that was exactly what I was going to do.

I closed the distance with a fierce kiss, dominated by passion and regret for leaving him like this, so cold and empty all these years.

But the feeling slowly faded as he suffocated every breath I took.

I kissed Riley like I would never see him again.

This kiss was two people who found each other again. A spark reignited. A dangerous one.

We pulled away, and he let out a shaky breath. “I never stopped loving you. I looked for you,” he whispered. “In everyone.”

His lips skimmed across my neck, nipping at the skin, and a soft moan left me, growing more desperate each time he bit down a little harder.

I relished in the pain he caused, and I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs as he sucked and licked at the sensitive flesh. “Cry for me, Freckles.”

More tears fell as I let go completely, forced to trust him with my life.

His lips were hungry as they took mine, completely dominating me as his tongue slithered between my parted lips.

Something buzzed within me, the sadness washing away and replaced by an insatiable hunger I never had.

Finding a bit of my own dominance, I sucked his bottom lip between my teeth and bit down hard.

Copper flew from his lip and into my mouth, and I only sucked harder with the growl that rumbled through his chest. Riley ripped his face from mine, moving his tongue to the base of my jawline, licking up my cheek to catch the tears.

“I can taste your fear, Maya. It’s salty and fucking bitter. ” He whispered against my skin.

This wasn’t Riley.

This was King in the flesh.

He was giving me what I asked for, and I could see the slight twinge of humanity in his features. Riley wanted permission to move forward, and call me bat shit crazy, but I gave it to him wholeheartedly. Even if he dropped me, in my heart, I knew he would jump right after to try and catch me.

Trusting him completely, my hands moved away from the railing to play with the hem of his shirt, making sure to trace every ridge of his skin as I removed the piece of fabric.

He shivered against the cold and pulled me forward to rest more securely against the rail, rather than over it, but kept a firm grip on me as I pulled it off completely.

“Take off your pants, Maya,” he ordered.

Slowly, I hooked my thumbs in my waistband, pulling them over my ass, making sure to bend over and slide them down slowly as he watched.

Once they were all the way off, I kicked them away, waiting for Riley’s next move.

With a needy groan, he stepped toward me, his cold hand finding its way between my thighs and spreading them open.