Page 96 of The Sweetest Revenge

"I want to move on." The words felt like release and risk at once.

"Then we move on." Simple. Final. His certainty almost made me surrender.

Almost.

My lips pressed into a tight line as I slowly shook my head. The rain drummed harder against the windows. I pushed my pointer finger into the center of his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

"Not," I tapped once, "until you say: 'I'm sorry, Ariella. I'm sorry for throwing you in an empty grave in the dark.'"

The memory of dirt beneath my fingernails flashed through me. The power shifted between us.

His lips quirked up—that familiar, infuriating half-smile. "Is that what you need?"

I squared my shoulders, summoning courage I wasn't entirely sure I possessed. The room felt warmer, the air charged. I pointed to the ground between us, the gesture both ridiculous and deadly serious.

"On your knees." I pointed to the ground.

"You want me to get on my knees for you?” With his hands on my hips, he slowly lowered to his knees, his eyes holding mine, "and beg for forgiveness." He tugged me closer to him.

I bit down on my lip, and my head slowly nodded as a million butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

The lights flickered, and thunder boomed again as his thumb tugged down a small section of the waistband of my pants. "Does this make it better?" He pressed his full lips to my hip bone. "Or how about this?" His lips traced from one side of my lower stomach to the other before pressing his lips to the other hip bone.

My lips parted slightly as my gaze followed his every move, and my pulse thrummed in my ears. Zaiden Knight, the man who bows to no one, was on his knees for me. He'd hurt me, humiliated me, damn near fucking broke me, but he'd also made me feel safe, protected me, pleased me, and now was begging for my forgiveness.

He pressed his lip below my belly button, staring up through long, dark lashes. "Tell me you forgive me, Ariella."

I shook my head, and he grinned against my skin as his fingers slid into the waistband of my pants and slowly glided them down my legs, dragging my panties with them.

I moaned as my head fell back, and my fingers slid into his hair, unable to form words as he mapped kisses along my inner thighs and pussy. He slid his tongue up my length, and I nearly came undone when he struck my clit.

Our gaze collided as my fingers tightened in his hair. The intensity in his eyes made my breath catch, and the lights went out again. My body immediately tensed.

"I'm here, Ariella." The heat of his breath feathered across my pussy as his hands tightened around my thighs, proving he was here and he wasn't going to leave me. "You're safe. No one will ever hurt you again."

"Promise?" My words were barely above a whisper. "Not even you?"

"I promise."

His hand curled around the back of my thigh before lifting it over his shoulder. I gasped when his wet, heated tongue glided up and down my slit tracing my clit and then moving down to my entrance. His tongue dipped inside, teasing and tasting me before sliding back up, flicking my clit.

My fingers tangled in his hair as my hips bucked into his face.

He resisted. "Tell me you forgive me," he hummed against my pussy.

"Say I'm sorry," I ordered. "The words, Zaiden."

He slid a finger inside me, slowly thrusting in and out as his tongue swiped over my clit, and my knees nearly buckled. "I'm sorry." He added another finger, and I gasped, biting my lip. "Now, forgive me so I can make you come."

"Oh God," I moaned. "I forgive you."

"Tell me you're mine."

My teeth sank into my bottom lip as my muscles spasmed, and my pussy pulsated around his fingers.

The lights flashed back, painting the room in stark white for a heartbeat before darkness swallowed us again. In that brief illumination, the sight of Zaiden on his knees before me seared into my memory.

"Tell me you're mine, Ariella." His voice vibrated against my most sensitive flesh.

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