Page 97 of When Storms Ruin

“When you stopped breathing, I lost a piece of myself. I didn’t want to be here without you, and I wasdesperateto give you any last ounce of magic I had left. Tosaveyou. Tohealyou.”

“I thought you hated me.” His voice was soft as his eyes roved over my face, a touch of disdain lacing his words.

“I did, you idiot. But not anymore.” I shook my head, more tears wetting my cheeks. “Not anymore.”

“Tell me how to fix this, Diana. Because I can’t do this without you. I don’t want to. I love you, and Ineedyou. In this life and every after, mother save me.It’s only you.”

An ugly laugh escaped me as I choked back another sob. Nik wiped away the tears as they fell.

“There’s nothing to fix, Nik. I forgive you. I forgive you foreverything, and I need you, too. I love you.In this life and every after.”

Nik let out a sigh of relief, the heavy weight between us lifting. I felt weightless for the first time in a long time, and the hungry expression in Nik’s gaze told me he felt the same.

His touch alone was setting my skin aflame, and when he cocked his head to the side, his mouth curving into a wicked smile and his eyes darkening, warmth pooled low in my core.

All thoughts escaped me as desperate, unbridled,wantreplaced everything else.

And then his mouth was crashing into mine.

When Nik’s lips met mine, my thoughts were consumed by him.

His mouth.

His skin.

His touch.

His presence waseverywhere. He kissed me as if he was starving, devouring every inch of my skin with his mouth. My hands ran across his back and dipped under his t-shirt, exploring the hard planes of muscle there.

He pushed me back onto the bed, gasping as our mouths found each other’s again. My auburn hair swirled behind me on the black silk sheets. They felt cool against my burning, flushed skin.

“I love you, Diana,” Nik spoke into my mouth, “I love you.”

His mouth moved to my neck as he tastedeverything in his path.

“I love you, too.” My voice was breathy, my hands buried in his hair.

Nik pulled back, meeting my gaze. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”

I gripped his shirt and pulled him back down to me, my voice gruff in his ear. “Don’t ever stop.”

Nik needed no further encouragement, his mouth finding mine once again as I pulled at his T-shirt. We broke apart for only a moment, long enough for me to slip the white fabric over his head and toss it to the floor.

A soft gasp escaped me as I saw the scars left behind from the battle marring his tanned skin. I ran a finger along the mark where the arrow had pierced him, reaching up to kiss the spot that could easily have taken his life if it had been an inch to the left. My hands traveled down his torso, goosebumps raising on his skin at my feather light touch.

He watched me, eyes blazing.

My fingers found the linear scar on his lower abdomen, the one that had come inches from taking his life. He had stopped breathing, and the thought of almost having lost him had tears swimming in my eyes once more.

“Diana, I’m fine. I’m fine.You saved me.” His voice cracked as his hand gripped mine, placing a kiss in the center of my palm.

He pinned that hand to the bed while my other explored him, my fingers running over his taut muscles. I explored the hard planes of his chest, moving my fingers down to the rippled muscles of his abdomen before reaching his belt.

My fingers stilled as I glanced up at him, a playful smile on my lips.

“Impatient,” he whispered.

His hand released mine, and I sat up halfway beneath him as he peeled my jacket and t-shirt off, tossing them to the floor. I laid back against the bed and his mouth found mine, his fingers exploring my skin.

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