Page 99 of Infernal

He crooked an eyebrow at me. “For being in love with you?”

“For saving me.” I padded my finger across his decadent lips. “You made the unbearable bearable.”

He cupped the back of my neck and drew me forward, our breath once again mixing together like a forbidden tonic I couldn’t help but breathe in. “I could do a lot more than that, love. If you’d let me.”

He was a fraction of an inch from touching his lips to mine when Ben interrupted us from the front passenger seat.

“You two about done back there? We’re less than three minutes away, and we kind of need your heads in the game here.”

His words were a like a needle scraping against the thin rubbery surface of the balloon I was floating in. And just like that, the balloon popped.

“We’re done,” I answered without bothering to meet his eyes. My gaze was still locked on Dominic, drinking him up, from the steadfast resolve in his eyes to the lust-filled heat he was sending my way.

Even after everything that happened, and everything that was coming at us, I couldn’t seem to get my fill.

See now, that’s where you’re wrong, angel, said Dominic to my mind, the fire in his eyes still burning wildly as it threatening to burn us all to the ground.We aren’t done. We haven’t even started.

He was right about that.

This thing between us had barely lifted off the ground, and unfortunately, grounded was where it would have to remain. Along with the rest of my life and any other stupid dreams I may have had for myself. He certainly wasn’t the only thing I was going to have to leave behind, but it felt like he would be the hardest.

Sorrow clamped down around my throat again as I climbed off his lap and unceremoniously returned to my seat. The bubble had burst, sending me back head-first into my reality. Pulling the seatbelt across my body, I drew in a breath and tried to re-center myself to the moment that was coming at me full speed ahead.

Mindlessly, my finger drifted up to my lips as my eyes veered back outside the window.

I could still taste him in my mouth…

And then I memorized that too.

36. NO TURNING BACK

Angry storm clouds gathered in the distance as we pulled into an abandoned steel factory about two blocks from All Saints. Apart from the fact that Caleb still needed to Cloak himself and the others, Ben wanted us to go over the plan one more time, as though repeating the idiotic suicide mission would make it any less idiotic.

I opened my door and stepped outside into the cool night air, stretching my legs as I tried to calm my ever-present anxiety while Ben and Caleb hauled ass to the front of the car to look over the blueprints for All Saints. I let them do their thing without interruption, even though I knew it was pointless. We wouldn’t be executing that particular plan no matter how many times they memorized the ins and outs of the building.

My eyes drifted to Dominic. He appeared to be lost in thought as he leaned back against the trunk of the car with both hands buried in his pockets. I calmly walked around the Camaro and joined him at the back.

“A penny for your thoughts?” I asked, rubbing away the droplets of rain that had begun to pepper my arms.

“That’s my line,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“Well, I happen to like it, so it’s mine now.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Do you always just take what you like, angel?”

“Don’t you?” I countered, though it came out more like an accusation.

His voice sounded bitter when he answered, “I certainly did before.”

His expression turned contemplative again as an uncomfortable chill spread over my body.

I wasn’t used to seeing him like this…so bothered and distressed. That was generally Gabriel’s schtick, and it just didn’t look right on Dominic. He was supposed to be aloof and carefree and untouchable.

“And what about now?” I asked, watching as his jaw hardened.

“And now it’s taking every morsel of control I have not to compel you to leave with me.”

My stomach tightened. “You wouldn’t do that.”

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