Page 86 of Saving You Losing Me

Will she go, or will she stay? She is under the impression she doesn’t have a choice, but after what she told me before we were so rudely interrupted, it kind of changes everything.

CHAPTER 47

CLARA

Candy raced off when she heard Diesel calling for her and my heart thumps wildly as Atom’s voice sounds through the bolted door.

“Clara, it’s me.”

My fingers shake as I pull the lock aside and as he fills the doorway, I note the weariness in his eyes.

“What happened?” I whisper as I usher him inside and he sinks onto the couch and to my surprise, grasps my hand and pulls me beside him.

“Emilio sent us a warning. Either we give you up, or one by one, he’ll waste one of our club members.”

I gasp in horror and my voice shakes. “The guy on the floor, is he–”

“Alive.” Atom reassures me.

“He’s the messenger apparently, and the next one won’t be so lucky.”

“Because of me.” My words falter and Atom pulls me against his chest and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

“Because of Emilio and what he believes is his right. None of this is your fault, Clara. It never was.”

I pull up and gaze into his eyes with a frown. “I have only brought you pain, Atom. It’s happening again and just like the last time, I must choose the wrong path to keep you on the right one.”

“You make shit decisions, darlin’.”

To my surprise, he chuckles and shakes his head.

“You should know by now that the only decision and always was, is to choose us.”

“Us?” I love how that sounds, and he twists my face to his and whispers huskily, “You are mine and always were. It all goes to shit when you try to fight against that. This time I’ll be the one making the decisions. All the choices in fact and I’m saying we marry tomorrow and then watch me deal with the problems my way, as you should have done ten fucking years ago.”

“Atom.” I have no other words and as I gaze into his eyes, I am lost forever.

“It’s been a long time, darlin’,” he whispers as his fingers stroke my increasingly heated skin.

“Too long.” I nod, my heart fluttering as I stare into his lust-filled eyes.

“You know we are inevitable.” He reminds me and I nod, happy for the first time in ten long years.

“We always were.” I whisper and as our lips touch, it’s a homecoming I really never expected to experience.

Tentatively, we explore the past, his rough hand cupping my face as he kisses me with a softness that belies his appearance.

I savor every second of something I have missed so badly and my heart fills as he breathes new life into the deflated one that died so long ago.

Somewhere, deep inside, the spark glows and moves through my body, lighting every corner of the darkest soul that has existed in the shadows for so long.

I am brimming with hope and destiny and as I kiss him back, I offer him my world.

His thumb rubs against my cheek as he deepens the kiss and I melt into his arms, desperate for more –craving him– and as he gently pulls away, he whispers, “This is our wedding night, Clara. This is when I declare my life to you.”

He jerks his head toward my bedroom.

“This has been a long time coming.”

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