Page 34 of Shades of Scars

He doesn’t need to go into great detail. I know exactly what he’s referring to. The way he said the word alphas held so much disdain that it left a bad taste in my mouth. My heart plummets to the pits of my roiling stomach, and for the first time since I arrived in Black Tide Valley, a real spike of fear rocks me to my very core.

Immediately, my scent sours, causing Caito to curl his lip, but I somehow know it’s not from displeasure. Not in that way. He sure is displeased, alright. Most likely due to the fact that the scent of my fear is now permeating the air around us like noxious gas.

His eyes flick down to the ugly, twisted mark on my shoulder, a fresh spark of fury igniting in the dark depths. Surprise flickers through me when his hand darts out, gripping me by my chin so I can’t look away from him while he speaks. “I already told you,mo chroí. No one is ever going to touch you again without your permission. I need you to believe that.”

The soft spoken words are so full of sincerity, it’s hard not to believe him. But I know what the demons of my past are capable of. It’s been a goddamn miracle all on its own that they’ve let me live out here on my own for this long. Thathehas let me.

I can’t stop the shudder that ripples down my spine as the last words he ever said to me echo through my mind like a horrible mocking bird on repeat.You are nothing, pet. Used up trash that’s not even worth my time anymore. Remember what you are always. No matter how far you go, I will always be watching.

I don’t realize I’ve squeezed my eyes shut until I feel Caito’s warm breath wash over my closed lids, and they snap open in response. He’s so close to me that our lips are a breaths-lengthapart. Liquid heat replaces the cold hand of dread that had once been clamped around every vital piece of me, and it happens so suddenly that it makes me feel breathless.

His scent surrounds me, healing so many broken parts of me in a way I never thought would ever be possible. Crisp winter evergreen and dark chocolate clogs my senses and makes my mouth water. I’m suddenly desperate for the taste of him. I need him to erase this nearly overwhelming terror threatening to consume me whole.

“Caito…” I breathe out his name, and my entire body quivers when his nose brushes against mine in response.

“Tell me you believe me,mo chroí. Tell me you believe I will keep you safe. I can’t bear it if you doubt me.” His tone is low and sultry, but I know there is a demand there that requires a legitimate response from me.

“How about I just show you?” I know this is going to come back and bite me in the ass, but I can’t help it. My mouth collides with his in a tangle of tongues and teeth, and when he growls against my lips, I feel slick heat gush from my center between my legs.

My perfume explodes into the air around us just as his fingers delve into my hair. He forces my head back, angling it just right so he can kiss me deeper. He fucking consumes me like my lips are the secret to all of his life problems. He presses in closer to me, bringing our bodies flush with one another. I have the sudden urge to climb this man like a tree right here in the middle of this very public park.

Having him touch me like this is dangerous. I’d never been the best at shielding my true emotions. Being here like this with him, tasting each other with wild passion—it’s going to get us both killed.

It’s with that thought that I pull away. My pussy practically fucking twerks when he growls at the loss of my lips against his,but it has to be this way. I can’t let that happen again. I have to have better control over my instincts and desires.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper, fully releasing his hand so that I can take another step back from him. He growls again, but I shake my head, lifting a trembling hand to my lips to touch them. They feel swollen, warm, and moist. I can taste him on my tongue, and it’s nearly enough to drive me mad. “That shouldn’t have happened. I won’t do it again.”

I half expect Caito to reach for me and yank me back towards him to prove a point, but he surprises me when he keeps his hands to himself. He’s quiet for so long that I finally look up at him. It was the wrong thing to do. My knees quake when he says, voice so soft that I nearly miss the words,“When they come for you, I will be ready. I will end them, and then you will be mine.”

Fuck, that shouldn’t turn me on so damn much.

I’m so fucking screwed.

20

Apollo

“Holy fuck, Wren wasn’t lying about the painting.” Hands stuffed in my pockets while staring up at one of my favorite pieces in the front entrance ofRaven, I startle at the voice that suddenly breaks the silence behind me. I whirl around to come face to face with Scarlett, and my eyes widen at the sight of her.

Jesus, she’s so damn gorgeous. It’s almost painful to look at her. She offers me a small smile, standing just behind me dressed in a pair of skin tight leather pants, a black crop top bedazzled with rhinestones that spell out the wordsassy, with a leather jacket laying over her shoulders since she couldn’t manage to get her bad arm through the sleeve due to the sling.

“Hey.” It’s all I can manage to spit out after standing there, ogling her like a creep.

“Hey.” She says with a knowing glint in her eye. Then she turns her face upwards to peer at the painting I’d just been admiring again. It takes my breath away all over again when I look over my shoulder at it.

Her first words filter back to me, and I feel my brow furrow when I glance back at her. She drops her gaze back to mine expectantly. “Wren told you about this painting?”

She bites down on her bottom lip. “He did. Said it was your favorite. I’m… familiar with the artist.” It sounds like there’s more there to her explanation, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Reaching up, I scrub a hand across the back of my neck, and it pleases me a little when her eyes zero in on the skin that gets exposed on my abdomen when my shirt rides up a little. “I’m a bit of a super-fan. Wren bought this during one of the artist’s online auctions for my birthday, and I wanted it hung up here.”

“He told me.” She smiles like she has a secret. Confused, I narrowed my eyes on her. She shrugs. “I’m a bit of an art enthusiast myself.” She says, and surprise flickers through me.

“Seriously?” I step closer to her, and her entire body goes taut like a bow string when I get within touching distance. “See? Another sign fate meant for you to be mine. I’m a low level artist. I go by Apollo Star in the online art world.”

“Oh, yes. I have a few of your pieces saved in one of my favorites folders on my tablet. You have killer talent with charcoal.Broken Birdis my favorite piece of yours.” She sounds a bit embarrassed when she’s finished gushing, but it makes me feel damn good that she appreciates a huge part of who I am.

“That’s one of my earlier pieces before I actually officially came out. I’m impressed you still have a copy saved. I took most of my earlier work down once I established myself.” Well,impressedis an understatement. I’m damn thrilled.

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