Wreck Me (Corrupt Legacy Series #2)

I’m holding his hand, tracing his prominent vein pulsing with life, while he’s already made up his mind.

“I hope he loves you the way you deserve, Abigail. I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

You, I want you. You are what I am looking for and looking forward to.

Tears sting my eyes. How do we always end up like this when our every fiber yearns to be together? Letting go of his hand, I cross my trembling arms over my chest.

“I wish you all the best,” I croak.

“Look at us being friendly… finally.”

Why is he still standing here, ripping me apart like this? I won’t recover. I won’t be able to reassemble all the scattered pieces at my feet. I will never be the same. Losing him will break me like nothing else, and nothing will be able to stitch me back together.

I drop to my knees, covering my face. This pain butchers my insides into a bloody mess.

“Princess.”

He drops to the floor in front of me. I think I’m pushing at his chest, but I’m holding on to him instead. Selfish, Abigail. As if you could love the right way. You never learned how.

Dragging him into the crossfire is not love.

I wipe my tears away with the back of my hands, forcing myself to do the right thing.

“Go, just go.”

“Stop.”

He grabs my wrists. I want to drown in him while his arms hold me together and his mouth breathes life back into me.

“If I stay, will you choose me?”

Here we are, coming to the most apparent reason why this thing between us will never work out. Instead of saying no, my mouth must be in a secret coalition with my heart. I’d sacrifice myself to soothe his pain. I can’t say no to that.

“Not in the open.”

He lifts his eyes to the ceiling. For patience, for advice, it’s irrelevant because he’s not leaving.

“It’s not because of Kaden.”

“Just hearing you say his name makes me murderous. Knowing you’re with him, officially, thinking about him touching you… My brain goes into a dark place—”

“Don’t. This is what I can promise you: I’m yours. No one else’s but yours.”

He pulls me to his chest, and his beating heart calms me—my home, the only place I want to live forever.

It’s the perfect lullaby.

“You’re my weakness. Forgive me for not being strong enough and doing the right thing,” I confess.

“Strangely, you’re my strength.”

I kiss the spot between his pectorals with quivering lips. It’s impossible to refuse my heart’s greatest wish—him. He scoops me up and carries me to bed.

“Good night, princess.”

He shifts to move, but I interlace our fingers, whispering the one word that will be my ruin. “Stay.”

His arms reach behind his neck, pulling at his shirt. After taking off the rest of his clothes, he slips into bed with me. The storm in my mind recedes. We’re lying face-to-face, and I see his tattoo. I trace my finger over the two lines, finally being able to focus on them. The last two times, I was too wrapped up in our lovemaking.