Page 69 of Powerless
"Mean is my middle name, sugar." He leaned in, grinning, catching my lower lip in his teeth.
"Oh yeah?" I giggled, pulling back. "Mine's Diaz. I took my dad's last name as my middle name and my mom's surname. A lot of women were doing it as a small protest at the time, giving kids their maiden names instead of their husband's names."
Reaper was silent as I blabbered, and I realized the moment got serious.
"I don't actually have a middle name," he confessed. "My family thought they were useless and outdated. But," he sucked in a breath, "my real name is Rory."
A huge grin threatened to split my face in half. "Rory?"
"I know, it's dumb."
"It's not!" I cupped the sides of his neck, the giggles spilling out of me. "It'ssocute."
"Shut up, woman. You trying to take my man-card away?" But he was smiling and tickling my sides, making me laugh harder.
I leaned into him, holding his face and laughing as I kissed him.
It was a good day and I was happy. I saw my friend, did my job that I loved, then came home to a man who cared about me. In that moment, life felt so simple and pure. The words tumbled out of me before I could stop them.
"I love you, Rory."
Twenty-Five
REAPER
"Ilove you, sugar."
The words came out a hushed murmur against her spine as I kissed her there, tracing her beautiful back with my mouth.
"I love you." I said it between her shoulder blades that time and would say it over every inch of her body if she let me.
I never said those words to anyone, except to my parents as a child. I didn’t even say it to Daren before he died. I was too busy being pissed off at him for giving me all of the vaccine while he wasted away.
He died never knowing how much I appreciated his wisdom, despite being younger than me. He thought I was pissed about him lying to me when I was honestly scared to death about going on without him. I should have told him it was okay, that I had this shit in the bag. I should have been a big brother to him, not a pissed off president. Because I could never imagine how scared he must have been to feel himself slowly slipping away.
Telling Mariposa I loved her didn’t make up for never telling Daren, but I didn’t want to make the same mistake again—waiting until it was too late.
Now those three simple words sent my pulse racing every time they left my mouth. It was a better adrenaline hit than riding. And I could have it every time I looked at my woman.
"I love you," I said with a kiss to the nape of her neck.
Mari moaned softly in her sleep, rolling onto her stomach. Fuck me, how could anyone be so perfect?
Her skin and hair contrasted breathtakingly with my white sheets. She looked like an angel sleeping on clouds. How ironic for her to be in the bed of a Demon.
Not to mention falling in love with one.
When she told me that in my study last night, I didn't even care that she used my real name. I knew she meant it.
And I said it back to her. Again and again. It was the last thing on my lips when I fell asleep and the first thing when I woke up.
"Damn," I breathed, just staring at her. "I love you, Mariposa."
"I love you, too..." she mumbled face down in the pillow, "...Rory."
"Goddamn it, woman!"
I yanked the pillow out from under her head and smacked her with it.
