Page 16 of Walking in Darkness

Problem was, I was pretty sure the only way we were going to get through this was by leaving a trail of bodies behind us, and I doubted that we would remain anonymous and unwanted for long.

But I’d lived close to half my life running as a criminal. Hiding my identity. My own sort of monster flying under the radar.

At least I was good at it.

We’d ditched my car outside of Albany. Thankfully, it had been registered to a fake name; we would have had a whole new set of issues if it hadn’t been. There was no chance in hell they weren’t going to link that altercation at the park to a car with my description.

I’d paid cash for a decent ride, telling the salesman at the used-car dealership that I was buying a gift for my girl. For once in my life, it hadn’t been a lie.

Because all of it was for Aria.

Everything I did. Every moment. Every breath. Every single thing I had to give.

From here to whatever fucked-up eternity we found ourselves in.

Aria was stronger than ever, but old habits die hard and all that shit, so I still wound around her, murmuring, “Wait right there,” as I swept the motel room.

“It’s clear,” I said when I was done.

The second I did, she stepped in and clicked the locks behind her.

She swiveled back to me, the woman so damned gorgeous that she knocked the breath out of my lungs every fucking time I looked at her.

Now that things had changed between us—now that I’d given in to what I should have known was coming all along—that feeling was overwhelming.

She slightly lifted her jaw, and the hazy light from the lamp illuminated the scars that marred her face from the battles we fought in the night. Scars that didn’t do anything to sabotage her beauty, but instead marked her as extraordinary.

She watched me with those fathomless gray eyes, rimmed with the darkest lashes.

They roiled with intensity, emotion bubbling up from an endless chasm.

The energy that bound us pulling through time and space. Through realms and eternities.

“Sight of you, Aria. Ruins me every time. Leaves me standing here gaping at the beauty that you are. Leaves me wondering how I could get lucky enough to be standing in front of you. Lucky enough to be chosen for you.”

A tremble rolled through her body. “It’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Frustration puffed from my nose, and I ran an agitated hand through my hair. “Yet I have you on the run again. I hate it, that you have no peace. I thought finally ...” I trailed off.

Her brow pinched. “You’re the one who’s running because of me ...”

“I just wanted to give you stability. A permanent place to stay.”

The thought of it tore through me like a pained, blissful dream.

A home.

I had never really had one of those. Not the kind that spoke of rest and safety. Every memory I had ofhomewas riddled with torment and pain. Had to squeeze my eyes closed against the assault of the voices that instantly poisoned my mind.

You little fuckin’ freak. Gonna beat it out of you one day. Won’t have my son bein’ some fuckin’ pussy.

“We’ll have it one day. A home.” Aria’s voice jolted me from the memory, her words flowing as if she had a direct tap into my mind. “A place where it’s just you and me. Where we don’t have to be afraid that the other is going to disappear. I choose to believe, Pax. I won’t count my days any longer.”

“Is that what you want, Aria? A home? With me?” I asked as I took a step toward her, the woman a lure.

Shackles and chains.

I wasn’t about to complain. I wanted to be bound. Tied to her in every intrinsic way.