Page 172 of Love Me

“Tell her yourself.”

“I’m not normal, Celine.”

“What did he do to you?”

A shadow approaches and I take my last shot. Blakes takes care of the next two.

“Fucking leave,” I grit out.

He turns to me, and I watch him bending over, palms on his knees.

“Kaden will kill me for this.”

“I’ll protect you.”

“For whatever it’s worth it, I think the girl you were has nothing on the badass you have become.”

“If we’re exchanging confessions. I’m afraid he loved that version of me more.”

He lets out an incredulous huff. “You can’t be serious. It was pure, it was different. Now, it’s something else. A love between people who crossed a bridge over deep water filled with secrets and poison. Don’t mourn that. You have a life together to realize this is more real.”

“I thought I didn’t deserve him. I thought I was a burden.”

“And now?”

“Now, I feel like his equal, his partner.” Thinking of him has my chest aching with longing. How cruel it would be to die without looking one more time in his eyes, kiss his lips to nurture my soul, be held in the cocoon of his arms and feel at home. I don’t want to be separated from him. Not now, not ever.

“That guy will love you even if you turn into someone unrecognizable. Your hearts bind you.”

“Shut up already. Your metaphors make me nauseous.”

Another shadow approaches.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he says in a calming voice.

I open my mouth to tell him to leave already, but blood spatters on Blake and me, painting my face, I can almost taste the metallic tang.

When the guard’s body drops, behind him stands a man who, even with a mask, I would recognize as mine.

Kaden rips the mask off and drops to his knees.

And I was never so happy to have someone else’s blood on me.

From the building, I see Abi and Dane bringing Celine’s mother outside. Hunter rushes to help them.

“My love,” my father calls after Cassandra, squirming in my hold. Fucking monster. I slam the gun into his nose. Blood spurts out immediately, and he holds it, whimpering.

Cassandra’s eyes pin on him, blazing with pure hatred. Despite her frail appearance, she storms over to him and slaps him.

“Go fuck yourself.”

Like mother, like daughter.

I push him forward. “Move.”

“Kaden?”

“Hello, Father.”

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