Page 62 of Bound By Flames
She’s the ultimate prize.
A small sob escapes her, and I tighten my hold. This could be a trigger for her, to talk about her eating disorder, but I’m not letting her slip away. Not this time.
"Mia," I murmur, my voice rough, strained with the weight of everything I want to say but don’t know how to. "You’re none of those fucking words. None of it. You’re…hurting, that’s what it is.” I’m no shrink, but anyone with a brain cell should see that, right? She looks up at me, her hazelnut eyes shimmering with uncertainty.
“You think I don’t see you?” I continue, our foreheads touching until there’s barely any space left between us. “I see all of you, Mia. The way you like to get your morning green thingy every day, the way you smile at Maria ‘cause you like having her around, the millions of clothes you put on the floor of our bedroom because it helps you to surround yourself with things you love, the sad face you make when your mother doesn’t answer your calls, the discipline you got with your sleep schedule and your weird dancing workout—”
“Pilates, it’s Pilates.” A chuckle escapes her while a tear forms on her jaw.
“Yeah, right, Pilates. See? I see you and all your quirks and thousand hobbies you like to do before sleep and all the knitting projects you’re working on in the living room and the way you twirl when you feel good about your clothes,” I tell her, hoping she’ll get it.
That every day, I learn more about her.
That every day, she amazes me more.
“I see you, princess, all of you. Even the parts you try to hide. Especially those parts. And I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Her breath catches, and for a moment, she just stares at me as if she’s trying to make sense of my words. Her fingers clutch at my arms, holding on like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded.
“I don’t know how to do this,” she whispers, her voice small and fragile.
“You just gotta be you, Mia. That’s enough for me. That’s more than enough.”
She lets out a soft, broken laugh as if she doesn’t believe me, but there’s a glimmer of something in her eyes—hope, maybe, or the tiniest sliver of trust. It’s not much, but I’ll take it.
Her lips are inches from mine, her sweet breath mingling with me in the steamy air of the shower. My cuts and bruises fade away as my mind focuses on the only thing that matters.
“You said I’d be the one begging for you,” a murmur of provocation escapes her delicious lips, taking me off guard and switching the energy around us.
Yeah, that’s my woman right there.
“I did say that.” A smile tugs at my lips, ‘cause damn, her trying to take charge is pleasing me more than I should admit.
“Well…if you want to kiss me, Ares, I think you’re gonna have to get down on your knees.” I know this isn’t about ego or pride anymore. That ship sailed the day I held her during her panic attack. This is about making sure I’m jumping off the cliff with her.
“I’ve never begged anyone in my life, princess,” I rasp, my hands slowly falling off her hips.
“I know,” she murmurs, knowing the weight of what she’s asking me.
“What makes you think I’d go on my knees for you?” I push her more, wanting her to lead, to witness my girl get her confidence back.
“Because a king knows when to bow for his queen,” she whispers, and her words strike me.
“Mia—fuck.” I fall on my knees, my ribs pulsing with pain and my head getting dizzy from how much blood I lost. I stare at her widening eyes. Both of us are silent while I watch her lips part, as if she didn’t think I would do this.
If only she could see that I would fall on my knees every day of my life for her. I’ll show her she’s enough every fucking day of my existence. That her essence stained my heart in an irreversible way, slowly erasing the betrayal from my past with her sweet and fiery nature.
“Let me kiss you, princess,” I command. She shakes her head, her bronze gaze staring at me with lust and a spark of fear mixed together.
“I think you can do better,” she challenges me.
“Mia...” I shut my eyes for a second and push on my last thread of patience.
“Iknowyou can do better.”
I sigh, wanting to punch a wall for having to wait a second longer to touch her lips, but then again, nothing in my life worth living ever came easy.
“My little tornado, light of my world, darkness of my heart, will you let me bruise your lips and make you crave a fire only I can ignite?”
