Page 189 of Seeking Shadows

A low, dark chuckle rumbles through me. She’s right. And yet—

I grip her hips, my thumbs pressing into her skin as I dip my head lower, my lips grazing the sensitive spot on her neck.

"I’m still going to fuck you hard for this," I murmur, my voice rough, promising.

Mia gasps, her body arching against mine as I press her harder into the wall.

"Hmm, Mr. Broken Leg, you got game."

I smirk against her skin, biting down just enough to make her whimper.

"You have no idea, wife."

She doesn’t hesitate—her arms coil around my neck, her body pressing into mine like she’s meant to be there.

My leg stings with pain, but I don’t care. I can’t. Not when her warmth seeps into me, not when I can feel the quick, desperate rise and fall of her chest.

I don’t give her time to think. With a low growl, I push her backward, guiding her into the nearest empty room.

I sink back onto the nearest surface. She gasps as I pull her onto my lap, her thighs straddling mine, her breath catching when our bodies align. My hands roam up her sides, gripping her waist, holding her in place as I press her closer—so close there’s no space left between us, only heat, only need.

Her fingers slide into my hair, her nails scraping lightly against my scalp, sending a shiver down my spine.

I tilt my head up, my lips brushing against her throat, reveling in the way she trembles, in the way she clings to me like she never wants to let got

The door slams shut behind us, but I don’t even register the sound—I’m too consumed by her, by the way she looks at me, eyes dark with want, daring me to take her apart.

I have her.

And fuck, I savor every second, every inch of her, like a starving man finally tasting salvation.

The cold wind sweepsthrough the cemetery, biting against my skin as I walk between the weathered headstones. The flowers in my hands feel heavier than they should. It’s been years since I’ve been here.

I stop before my father’s grave. His name is etched into the stone, but time has begun to soften the edges of the letters. I swallow hard, letting out a sigh before kneeling down and placing the flowers in the dirt.

“Hi, Dad.” My voice comes out quieter than I intended. “I should have come sooner.”

The breeze passes through me like a silent answer. My chest tightens. I run a hand over my face, taking a deep breath.

“I got married,” I blurt out, a dry laugh escaping my lips. “Drunk, in a chapel in Los Angeles. I know what you’d say—that I’m an idiot. And you’d be right.”

I stare at the flowers, my fingers tightening on the fabric of my pants. “But, Dad… she’s amazing. You’d hate to admit it, but I know you’d like her. She talks too much, gets into trouble, and isn’t afraid of anyone.” My throat tightens. “I should have stayed away, should have protected myself, but I couldn’t.”

The silence around me is overwhelming, only the wind whistling through the trees. Still, I force myself to continue.

“Loving her is as easy as breathing. Just like you said it would be when I found the one. She’s my person.”

My eyes burn, but I wipe at them before the tears can fall. I smile.

"I want to travel the world with her. Take Mia to see things she's never seen, give her everything she’s been denied. She deserves more than this life I have, more than I can give." I close my eyes, the weight of the confession pressing down on my chest. "But I can’t let her go."

My breathing is ragged now. I clench my jaw, trying to hold back the wave of emotions threatening to drown me.

"I wish you were here to tell me what to do," I admit, my voice almost breaking. "But I think, deep down, I already know."

I run a hand through my hair, laughing softly, humorlessly. “I’ll love you until the end, Dad. Because you were right—we’re not alone. I’ll make sure to remember that now, okay?”

“You really are the softest among us.”

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