“But I want…” Her lower lip trembled. She bit down so hard it turned white. “I want you.”
My breath hitched, and then my lips found her my neck. She leaned into me. I swore in Sicilian then gently pushed her onto her back. I didn’t get on top of her; instead, I stayed by her side and continued raining kisses down her neck.
“Where did he touch you?” I asked.
“Huh?”
“Where?”
She pointed to a spot on her neck.
I kissed it whole again.
She pointed to another area on her arm.
I followed the same tedious process of making sure my kisses healed what his hands had destroyed. I was out to fuse the pieces he’d tried to break up and destroy.
“And here.” She pointed to her mouth.
I smiled and then devoured — not kissed — her lips. My mouth covered hers as my tongue slipped past her lips and touched her own.
Her hands circled my neck, pulling me firmer against her.
Damn, but she felt so good, so right. After hesitating, I slowly moved so that I was hovering over her. My hands dove into her hair as I deepened the kiss, tasting her, drinking from her, reassuring myself that she was here, and she was all right. Her tongue flicked my lip ring. With a moan, I forced myself to stay in check.
My hands gripped her face as she arched beneath me.
I knew I needed to stop.
But I didn’t want to.
I just wanted her to feel whole.
But I didn’t have the right to give that back to her, and she didn’t have the right to ask me to.
It wasn’t something a person could take from you or something you could willingly give.
“You’re killing me, Trace,” I groaned against her neck. With another sigh, I pulled back. “And I’m probably going to hate myself later tonight for saying this, but after everything…” I shook my head. “…I can’t… I can’t—”
Ignoring me, she licked her lips and leaned forward.
“Ah, hell.” My mouth crushed hers, our lips molding against one another, eager, hot. My body was on fire for her. With each nip and kiss, I fell a little harder, taking her with me.
Her hands moved to my shirt. I was just about to help her pull it off when a throat cleared.
I jerked away and snapped, “This better be good, Chase, or I’m going to strangle you.”
Chase’s eyes weren’t even on me, but Trace. He looked hurt, disappointed, upset.
He blinked at her as if trying to figure out why she’d be with me and not him then clenched the sides of the doorframe until his knuckles went white.
“I just thought you should know that Mr. Alfero has everything set up and ready. Seems he was a bit over zealous about getting some of the men together. I didn’t think you would want Phoenix to die without letting Trace have a crack.”
“A crack?” Trace repeated.
“At Phoenix.” Chase’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You do want to slap him, don’t you? Because if you don’t, I sure as hell will. Shit. I’ll break both his legs for you.”
“How are you?” Chase walked into the room.
I held up my hand for him to stop.
“She’s fine,” I answered for her. Teeth clenched as I narrowed my gaze on Chase.
“She can answer for herself,” Chase argued. “Trace, I—”
I leapt off the bed. “I said she’s fine. You aren’t needed anymore. Alright? Text me the address, and we’ll be there in a few. I’ve gotta get her some clothes to put on.”
Chase’s nostrils flared. “Maybe you should have been thinking about that before you started taking her clothes off.”
Bastard! I lunged for Chase’s body.
Trace scrambled off the bed. “Guys, stop!”
Chase reached for Trace, but I intervened, tucking her into my arm.
“Sorry, Trace. I’m just… shit. I’m just a little messed up after seeing everything go down today.” Chase looked at Trace, his eyes full of questions.
Trace suddenly pulled away from me, not enough for Chase to notice, but enough for me to know. She didn’t want Chase to feel bad.
But she wasn’t really choosing me.
Not yet.
Fresh raw pain sliced through me.
“Now what?” Trace asked.
“Now…” I sighed. “You decide if he lives or dies. Just know my vote is death.”
“And if I want him to get punished but live?”
I didn’t respond; instead, I released her and walked toward the door, finally giving her the answer she probably needed, but not one I was sure I could keep. “I’ll try to listen.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Endings aren’t all fairytales.
Chase
I CLENCHED AND UNCLENCHED my fists as I made my way into the back room of the restaurant where we were meeting. Blood pounded through every vein, every vessel in my body, demanding vengeance. Almost as much as it demanded I rip Trace from Nixon’s hands and run away with her.