Page 112 of Tempt Me

I held onto her cheek and kissed her with every ounce of love I had inside my soul.

“She’s gone, Little Voyeur.”

Fallon searched my face. “Who’s gone? Pharaoh, what’s wrong?”

I traced the lines of her cheek and lips with my one free hand. “Xenia. My Little Flower went back to be with her mother.”

Fallon’s beautiful green eyes showed understanding, and she pulled me into an embrace. I didn’t know what truly breaking felt like until this woman made me feel safe enough to shatter completely.

She held me as I sobbed and snotted all over her. I couldn’t stop. I just kept crying. Crying for my brother. My daughter. My fucking soul. At one point I felt someone come in and free my other hand from the cuffs.

“I love you, Fallon Summers. I am sorry. I never should have left you. I was scared to lose you, and being a coward is why I almost did.”

Fallon wiped my cheeks with her thumb and kissed the remaining tears.

“I love you too, stupid. Don’t ever run from me. You belong to me just as much as I belong to you.”

I laughed and felt a sting of sadness resurface.

“But…I am a killer. I am the fucking devil, Little Voyeur.”

Fallon forced me to meet her gaze and kissed me to the point I lost my breath.

“You aremydevil.”

Thirty Nine

Redemption: The act of making something better or more acceptable.

Can we truly save each other?

Hearing the words coming out of Pharaoh’s mouth, I couldn’t believe they were real. He loved me. He wasn’t going to leave me.

“I need you to know something, Pharaoh,” I said seriously.

I was afraid that my next words would have him running just as quickly as I got him back.

“Anything, Little Voyeur.”

I hesitated, and he kissed me again. His love was prominent in the way his lips moved with mine.

“I am not letting Xavier go into the system. He didn’t ask for the life he’s been given since being born. He is innocent in this war, and I can’t let my brother’s baby go to a stranger.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond. Instead, I kept talking.

“I know what it feels like to be alone, to be the one on the outside looking in. I don’t want that for him. I don’t know what the fuck I am doing, and God help me, but…”

I took a deep breath and thought about my brother holding my little one for a second.

“I am going to adopt Xavier. If you choose to be with me…well, you are choosing to be a dad again. You have to choose us both.”

Pharaoh was quiet for a second, then he picked me up and flipped me onto the bed. His kisses turned from sweet and loving into a passionate demand I was helpless to deny.

“I always wanted to be a mother fucker,” he teased, kissing down my collarbone and ripping at my clothing.

I was breathless, returning the kisses as much as I could.

Mother.

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