Page 95 of Veiled Vows

“I understand.”

“But you’re in luck.” She looks back at me with a watery smile. “I love you too. And I don’t…I don’t want to do this alone, Ren. I don’t want to be one of those people who lets things fall apart because of bad blood. I want…I want what I want, and that’s you.”

“Are you sure?” I scarcely dare to believe what I’m hearing. Maybe I did die and this is heaven.

“Of course I’m sure!” She laughs again, and this time a couple of tears escape. “I lost my dad and I’m losing my mom. I don’t want to lose you too. But you have to promise me something.”

“Anything.” I’ve never agreed faster.

“No more lies. No more secrets. We work together on everything, okay?”

“Okay.” The drugs are doing too good a job at dulling my sensations, but the swell of love for Jasmine is unmistakable. I try to sit up, but weakness still pulls through my limbs so I’m forced to groan. “Come over here and kiss me because I can’t sit up.”

“Poor baby,” Jasmine teases as she leans forward. “My weak little man.”

“Don’t push it.”

“What are you gonna do?” We’re so close that our noses bump. “Fight me?”

“If I must.” Her lips chase mine and the slightly salty kiss from her stray tears sends an explosion of excitement through my chest. For a brief moment I don’t breathe, I focus completely on the kiss until the machines bleep and scream at me.

Jasmine jolts back in alarm and looks between me and the machines. “Oh my God, are you okay?”

“It’s a great kiss,” I gasp, chuckling.

She swats me gently on the forearm. “Asshole. Holy shit, I thought I was killing you for a second.”

“No, that’s just—” Everything screeches to a halt in my mind and my chest as a cold thought pops into my mind.

“What is it?” Jasmine frowns deeply. “Ren, what’s wrong?”

“Santino … what happened to him?”

Jasmine’s deep frown melts into a sly smile. “Hm. Wanna go on a date?”

38

JASMINE

“You sure you’re up for this? You’re still pretty…” I look Ren up and down, my mouth twisting as I search for the right word.

“Injured? Raw? Cobbled together by stitches and tape?” He offers with a smile.

“I was going to say handsomely disheveled but sure,” I grin. “Two days in the hospital is not enough.”

“It’s fine.” He waves one hand toward me. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll cart me right back if anything happens. I’m not missing date night, understand?”

“How romantic.” My smile turns into a saucy little smirk. “Also, just so you know,” I continue as I loop my arm through his good elbow. “I bought up the deed to this land. Not directly, it’s through about five different offshore accounts and fake names on the off chance anyone does come here and discover a body, but this theme park is mine now.”

Walking arm in arm, we lazily wander between the old rides and crumbling stands with me guiding the way.

“You bought this shitty old park?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“Two reasons. One, I want to make sure what’s buried here stays buried. And also, it’sourdate spot. I thought I could get some people in to clean it up a little. Renovate the entire place. And then it would be safe just for us. And also…” I glance at him with a soft look. “You said you spent a lot of time at places like this because of your mom, so I thought it would be a nice thing to do.”

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