Page 57 of Burn for Me

My attention shifts to where my hand rests on him, and since he hasn’t pulled away or told me to stop touching him, I push my luck, letting my fingers drift to his back, tracing the scars that mark his skin.

“Which people? If you're asking about my uncle, then I'd tell you he beat me, forced drugs on me, and let his friends have rounds, seeing how many punches it'd take until Brady was finally involved. If you're asking about Chaos, there are too many ways to describe it. I was with them for years before the war started, so Carlisle had plenty of time to turn me into what he needed.”

I raise my hand as he takes a deep breath and turns to face me completely. His gaze moves back and forth between my outstretched palm and his chest before he says, “If you give me time, I’ll share every story that my scars hold. I’ll tell you the names of the faces that haunt my mind.”

"You don’t have to tell me… just show me," I whisper.

"I’m not the type of man who deserves you. I'm dark and destructive." He pauses, tilting his head as he takes my hand, guiding my fingers to trace the battered skin on his chest. "But I promise I'll always make sure you shine, even through the chaos."

Suddenly, all our moments together flash through my mind. As I pause to find the right words, I realize it's always been him and me. He’s been there for every mistake, even the ones he doesn't know about, standing by me like an indestructible wall.

“So think long and hard about what you’re asking for, Jasmine, because being able to hold you in that position tonight is exactly what you’re asking for: seeing my darkest sides.”

“Did it help?” I mutter, and he laughs, tilting his head back toward the sky, making his chest shake under my palm.

“I didn't want to relive my past or think about the people I've hurt. I was fixated on your look and feel.”

“I was once trapped in a blazing building because my father crossed the wrong people,” I almost whisper. If he can be open, the least I can do is give him a little in return. His arm wraps around my waist, turning us so that my back is toward the drop.

“I hate fire. I hate the sting of smoke in my eyes. I hate the smell of charred wood. I hate how the flames feel when they get too close, but I would burn for you.” My heart pounds in my ears as I feel the back of my knees skim the ledge. My eyes dart between his, dilated to the point where they're almost black.

He shakes his head, “You’d never have to do that for me.”

I yelp, grabbing onto his arms as he shifts his hand to clutch my shirt, pushing me back until the upper half of my body dangles over the ledge.

“I would save you before this perfect skin could be touched by anything else but me,” he murmurs, arching my back slightly to trail his lips along my neck. The fear of him letting me go consumes me, but I always have wanted to know what it’d be like to let him hold my life in his hands. Closing my eyes, I focus on how my hair flows toward the drop, and the strain makes my muscles protest, but I relax within his grip.

“You’ve always trusted me,” he huffs, and suddenly my knees are thumping into the concrete roof. “Now I’m trusting you, little devil.”

My eyes open, flicking between his feet on either side of my legs. Those words are ones I always wanted to hear but know I never deserved. My heart thuds against my ribs as I try to categorize everything I need to spill before he decides to give me something so precious.

“I—I need to explain a few things. I don’t want any secrets.” I rush out, raising my line of sight to the shadows dancing across his features, creating a menacing arch in his furrowed brows.

“So, we’re coming clean about everything? Does that mean this is the right time to tell you our marriageisn’tfake?” His fingers tangle in the hair at the back of my head as he leans in, brushing his nose against mine."It's surprising how easy it is to legalize marriage with just a few clicks instead of making false reports."

His words catch me off guard, so I try to pull away from his grip, but his hold tightens, sending a shockwave through my spine.

“What is it, little devil?” He taunts.

“You're insane.” I rasp, and his jaw flexes

"You want a divorce? I'll bury any lawyer you try to obtain. You want to run? Just know I love a good chase, and believe me when I say Iwillcatch you.” He bends and brings his face inches from mine. “You want to get rid of me? Then you better fucking kill me because it's until death do us part, Darlin’. Even after, I'll wait in hell for you.”

With that, he crashes his mouth into mine, and I lose all my morals when I moan. He pulls my lip between his teeth and nips the flesh hard enough that when he pulls away, I feel the blood trickle down my chin.

“You already know that, though, don't you?” He groans, lifting his free hand to drag his thumb through the flow, smearing it up to my cheek as I nod. It's both feral and terrifying, but I can't imagine wanting anyone else to look at me the way he does.

It's as if he's on death row, and I'm his last meal.

“Such a pretty little mess.” He huffs, and my thighs clench in response. I flick my tongue out to clean my lip, but he hooks his thumb into my mouth, gripping my chin and tilting my head further over the ledge.

“Don’t you fucking dare. I want to see your favorite color stain my cock.”

God, he’s filthy and so damn hot. He grips the ledge, tempting the fall while pushing my head to rest against the low ridge.

“You’ll fall.” I gasp, pushing against his abdomen to try and get him to step back. His head lolls forward with a laugh, and his hooded eyes bore into mine. I grip the back of his calves as he quickly pushes down his sweats, and his dick springs free, bobbing from how stiff it is.

“I’ve been forced to hang by my feet with the knowledge that if I slipped, I’d die. Trust me, you are the only thing that will make me fall.”

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