Page 110 of Devoured

Her words should have been comforting, but it looked like she was going to burst into tears. Not because she was upset for herself. Because she was upset for me.

I swallowed hard. "You do. You're looking at me right now like I'm weak."

"I don't think that you're weak. You're incredibly strong for overcoming something like that."

But I hadn’t overcome it. That was the whole point. I’d have to carry around this shit forever.

I shoved my hands in my pockets. We were both completely drenched. And the distance between us was unbearable. "I don't want you to leave me," I said slowly. "But if this is too much..."

"No. James." She closed the distance between us and I’d never been more relieved. "I'll never let you go."

Her words made the tightness in my chest ease. "I'm not addicted to you."

"You keep saying that. And all I can think about is how rude it sounds." She smiled at me.

"I don't understand how you can keep choosing me. I'm..."

"Perfect.”

That was definitely not what I was going to say.

“Everything that you've been through has made you who you are. And I love the man I see in front of me. I love you so much."

It started raining harder. And I remembered what Penny had told me about the rain. That it reminded her of me. And it felt like some kind of sign. I’d shown her the darkest side of me and she wasn’t running away screaming. She was standing by me. And we really should have been celebrating today. I’d been waiting over a year for Isabella to sign the papers. And I’d been waiting a lifetime to feel free from all of that.

"I'm divorced." I almost had to yell it over the rain.

"I know." Whatever I’d seen cross her face after learning about my addiction was gone. She was staring up at me with stars in her eyes again.

And if she was still here, we were all in. "No more of this waiting nonsense?"

"No. My heart is yours."

I smiled. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard anything sweeter. "I'm divorced!" I picked her up and twirled her around.

Penny’s laughter was infectious.

I set her back down on her feet. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.

She rubbed her palm against the scruff on my cheek. "You're all mine."

"All yours, Miss Taylor." I turned my head and kissed her palm. And I’d stay clean for her. I would.

Chapter 27

Tuesday

Something had shifted in the air. Maybe it was the weight off my shoulders from telling Penny the truth. Or maybe it was the thunder booming in the sky. Penny was right, the rain always reminded me of her and our first kiss. Regardless, it was like I could feel the electricity cackling between us.

When the elevator doors closed on the way up to my apartment, I wasn’t sure who moved first. But my fingers tangled in her wet hair as I slammed her back against the wall. Her lips tasted like the rain. And I realized that for the longest time, they’d taste like sin. But not tonight.

For so long I’d been concerned about being her professor. Being older than her. Being a bad influence.

But now everything was more simple. I was a man. She was a woman. And she was fucking mine.

The elevators dinged and I grabbed her thighs and lifted her up. She immediately wrapped her legs around me. I was pretty sure I knocked something off the kitchen counter as I carried her into my bedroom. But I didn’t care. All I wanted was more of her.

She didn’t care that I was a monster. But maybe that was the whole point. She made me feel like I wasn’t.

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