Page 88 of Tainted Love
“You fell in love with me?” she says quietly, a small smirk tugging at her lips.
“Damn right I did, Duchess,” I say with a grin. I cup her cheeks in my calloused hands and press my lips to hers. “You’re mine, and no one is going to take you from me.”
She shakes her head as she pulls back from me, and my heart drops into my stomach. Shit, after all of that, I’m going to lose her.
Then she opens her beautiful mouth and shocks the shit out of me when she says, “You’re mine, rockstar. And no one is ever going to touch you again.”
Chapter 48
Elias
MY PHONE RINGS, and it pulls me from my slumber. As I blink, Bea’s room slowly comes into focus. The bed next to me is empty. I frantically search for her, and my body only relaxes when I find her sitting at her sewing machine, working away.
The phone gets my attention again, and I find Oli’s name lighting up the screen. Looks like it only takes me getting stabbed for her to call me.
I answer the phone with a raspy voice. “Hello,” I say before I clear my throat.
“Hey Pincushion, how are you feeling?”
“You’re fucking hilarious.” I groan at my twin’s attempt at humour.
“I know,” she laughs. “But in all seriousness, how are you feeling?”
I stretch out my body, only wincing slightly as I extend my torso. “I’m getting there.”
Bea stands and walks over to the bed, pressing her lips to mine before whispering, “I’m going to get a snack. Do you want anything?”
“Just you,” I grin before gripping her nape and deepening our kiss.
I can hear Oli making gagging noises from the other end of the line. “Eww … I’m still here.”
Bea pulls away and swats at my chest playfully. “Sorry, Oli,” she calls before murmuring to me, “I’m going to let you two catch up, but really, do you need anything before I go?”
I tap on my lips, begging for another taste, but she laughs and steps out of my reach. Bea blows me a final kiss before she leaves the room.
“Well, it sounds like the two of you are still all hot and heavy. Have Mum and Darren come to terms with it yet?” Oli says, the amusement clear in her voice.
“We most definitely are,” I agree, settling back onto the pillows, then my face twists up in a grimace when I think of our parents.
To say Mum and Darren were shocked about our relationship is an understatement. Mum was almost as distraught over the thought of us dating as she was over the attack. She lectured me about how I needed to be sure about my feelings for Bea because if things didn’t work out between the two of us, it would affect not only us but the entire family.
Surprisingly, it was Jonathon who came to our defence—although afterward, we had a private conversation about how he has many clients with questionable contacts and if I ever hurt his granddaughter, he won’t hesitate to end me. And I don’t doubt the old man for one minute.
“They’re getting there. We try not to flaunt it in their faces.” Even though it kills me not to touch her every minute of every day. “I guess they’re a little concerned about the effect it will have on Attie, but she seems to be fine.”
“I’m sure she is,” Oli says with a laugh. “The little pipsqueak loves her fairy tales. You sound happy, E.”
“I am.” I can’t help the grin from tugging at my lips. “Beais fucking incredible. She’s smart, kind, talented, and so beautiful it hurts. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
“Same. How’s she doing after everything with Jas? I still can’t believe they’re sisters.”
My chest tightens. After the attack, Bea’s therapist suggested she reach out to her mum, but it didn’t go well. Her mum had a mental breakdown at hearing what her eldest daughter did to her youngest, and to protect herself Bea has cut ties with her altogether.
“She’s taking it one day at a time. I think Darren is struggling with it the most. He had no idea about Jas and he’s beating himself up. He thinks if he knew about her, he could have stopped all this from happening.”
“You can’t live by ‘what ifs’.”
“I know.”
