Page 341 of Flirting with Darkness

Pushing myself up, I try to muster the strength to stand and get her perfect face from my view before I do something we’ll both regret. “You deserve better,” I mumble as the thoughts in my mind fly right out of my mouth before I can rein them in.

“I deserve you.” Rae’s reply is quick as her hands rest firm on my shoulders, preventing me from moving.

Looking at her, the glint of defiance in her eyes kindles a flame in me I thought had extinguished long ago. How she can stomach the sight of me right now perplexes me, but I feel my own defenses waning.

Still, I refuse to give in. Where I come from no one just surrenders. What if this a counterattack of sorts? Maybe the Guard or Elysian sent her to subdue me. “How can you say that, Rae? After everything I did to you—your family. There’s no way you can forgive me so easily.” My words come out harsher than I intend, but when the softened curves of her mouth straighten into a thin line, I know I’m testing her patience.

“Wow, Kharon,” she says, leaning away from me as her eyes search my face. She’s wary of me. Good. She should be. “Are you really not accustomed to someone loving you in spite of you? Have you never experienced forgiveness?” Staring at me, Rae’s gentle tone stirs something strange in me again.

“But how can you forgive me?” I don’t deserve her forgiveness.I don’t deserve her.

“Because despite everything—your half-hearted pursuit of my cousin, the years you’ve spent watching me when you didn’t think I noticed, the stolen moments when you’d look at me like I was the only woman in the world—I always knew there was something between us. And after what you shared about Moirai; I understand the position you were in. But even more than that, I’m not just forgiving you—I’m forgiving me too.”

Watching Rae’s tearful gaze as she confesses her affection for me, my hands quickly trail her face, catching the tiny droplets as they fall to her chin. “I don’t understand. What do you need forgiveness for?”

Once more, Rae leans into my palm, closing her eyes, savoring in my touch. “For waiting this long to finally show you just how I feel for you.”

7

RAE

Kharon’s eyes flash with a flame-like glow and before I can finish my thought, his mouth is on mine.

This time it’s Kharon, not me, leading the way. With both his hands palming my face, the desperation seeping through his kiss lulls my body to the brink of surrender. As our tongues twine together, I am almost overtaken with the expert way Kharon gently nips my bottom lip as if he wants to consume me whole.

Oh how I wish he would!

Raking his hands through my hair, Kharon fists a handful of my curls, holding me steady as he pulls away just enough to gaze deeply into my eyes. My body tells me he’s looking for a hint of indecision. He wants to know if I want to go the distance. But despite logic, I’m letting my body lead the way. It’s about time my body finally got the attention it’s long needed. Kharon will find no objection from me.

Logic be damned.

“Please, Kharon,” I moan, tilting my head back, giving him more than an eyeful of my cleavage. Grunting, Kharon pulls me back to him, thrusting his mouth to mine as his hands now explore my curves.

Running his hands along my breasts and my waist as our kiss deepens, the wetness at my bottom gushes as if his touch alone ignited my climax. Quaking in his grip, Kharon darts a wickedly sexy grin as he looks at me briefly before plunging his face between my breasts.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this!” He growls into my bustline. Whimpering moans are all I have in reply as I wish there were a better, more alluring way to rip this gown from my body. “Rae,” Kharon breathes my name, looking up at me through his darkened, storm-cast eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want? Because if we do this there’s no going back.”

Looking at me as if my next words could be the death of him, I allow a small smile and roll over into the thick pile of silk fabrics at my side.

“Kharon this is all I ever wanted. You are all I ever wanted—all I want,” I say, desperate for his touch once more.

Kharon’s hooded glare darkens even more and the flame resting behind his irises flicker again as he leans toward me. This time I notice he doesn’t look as pained as before.

Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, my eyes land square on his sculpted chest and perfect abdominals. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was either born perfect or a Greek sculpture come to life. Either way, I am delighted. Making his way to me, a bright glow hovers around him as the shimmering sheen radiating from his body illumines the dark cave. Darting his eyes quickly to me, he looks genuinely surprised. Rubbing his hands along his biceps and chest, it’s as if this were the first time he saw himself.

The wonder in his eyes puzzles me and I feel like I’m missing something. “Kharon, what’s wrong?”

Smiling as the brightness around him slowly fades, he looks down at me as if he just won a prize. “That’s just it, Rae. Nothing. Nothing is wrong—at least not anymore. And it’s all because of you!”

8

KHARON

Ialmost feel like myself again. How I am not quite sure, but I know Rae Vereen is responsible for it all.

Gazing at myself as the luminous glow emanating from me dissipates, I am full of awe. Gone is the wrinkled, mole, and boil-ridden skin that once presented me as the grotesque monster in front of everyone at the cotillion. It’s as if the veil of the beast I’d become has been lifted and my truer self revealed.

Puzzled, Rae looks up at me with her big bright eyes and it takes every ounce of my restraint not to take her in my arms. But I need to know for sure.

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