Page 70 of The Final Deal

My bottom lip trembles. “I love you so much it’s stupid, you know?”

He smiles. “Yeah, it is pretty stupid.”

I smack him lightly with a chuckle, and he embraces me. “I love you more, babe. But let me go before the onions burn.”

He rushes over to the stove and gives the onions a quick toss. “You mind checkin’ on Dree? Damn near busted a blood vessel when we were on the phone. Dinner’ll be ready in twenty.”

I hear him as I step outside onto the patio. The sun has fallen behind the trees, and the studio glows with the lights on inside; Adrian beats his kit so hard that I hear the crack of sticks against the rim of his snare from the pool. The beat thrums in the doorknob.

He doesn’t acknowledge my presence when I enter the studio. As predicted, he’s beating the shit out of his set to the point he’ll need to install a new head or two and toss his current sticks. His brow is furrowed, concentrating on abusing his set.

Suddenly, he slings the sticks in his hands clear across the room. They smash against a poster-covered wall and clatter noisily to the floor. Adrian rises from his throne, growling as he paces up and down the length of the room.

I let him bypass me twice before I get in his way. My hand rests over his racing heart in his chest, pounding as hard as he was on his kit.

Dree cups my face and smashes his mouth onto mine, so hard that I stumble backward. He’s burning up. I keep backing up to get away, but he pursues me until I hit a wall.

His tongue pries the seam of my lips apart. Reluctantly, I let him inside, coaxing him to slow down. He takes the hint and eases the tongue lashing, his kiss turning more languid and passionate than angry and driven.

My arms snake around his shoulders, but he parts to peer into my eyes. His are reddened with thin veins crawling over whites that attempt to restrain his fury.

The anger falters. It shatters as his furrowed brows relax. His eyes soften and turn glossy. “Why won’t they let me love you, too?”

Those words pierce the thing throbbing in my chest that keeps me alive. They infiltrate my heart, wrapping around until they cinch tight and make it skip a beat.

Forever can’t only be a day.

“Because they’re scared of all the love you have to give, hon,” I whisper. “That all the love we have in this house is so much that it’s wrong.”

A tear sneaks out from the corner of his eyes. “I don’t think it’s wrong. Not with you.”

I smooth the tear on his cheek and lead him to me, pressing my lips against his softly like I’m whispering my love only for him to hear, to let it sink in deep and allow the words to burn inside his chest cavity and keep me close.

“I’ll love you for as long as you’ll let me,” I promise.

His breath is hot over my lips, and he sniffles. “I’ll always want you to love me.”

Kissing him once more, I pull him close, and his arms circle my waist. My fingers run through his thick hair. “I don’t want y’all to give up anything of your parents’ for me.”

He nuzzles my neck. “I’d rather have you than the botanica, princesa.”

“I don’t know why she hates me so much,” I murmur. Sniffling, I tell him, “After everything we’ve been through, I just want our happily ever after.”

“We’re gonna have it, baby.” Adrian takes my chin between his fingers and leads me to kiss him again. His dark eyes gaze into mine as he swears, “I won't ever let anyone come between us again.”

Chapter 27

Suffer

–Kingdom Collapse

Twenty-five is better than twenty-four.Especially when it comes with cake, a couple of hot tattooed musicians that sing “Happy Birthday,” and a show where friends are playing.

“Hey, there’s the birthday girl,” Charlie greets as I enter the stage with Zak and Adrian. His long brown hair is tied up in a knot and the silver ring in his nose glints under the stage lights.

“Back in town so soon,” I comment as he gives me a quick hug and a big smile.

“We’re really diggin’ SA, what can I say.”

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