I could hear it in my ears.
I could feel it in my bones.
Breaching the walls she securely had in place for me. I swear every part of my nervous system was breaking, shutting down, making it hard to see, let alone stand.
She weakly thrashed around some more, ignoring the pain in her head and the ache in her heart. The sorrow in the depths of her soul I’d caused. I held her tighter against my chest, both of us gasping for air.
Which had me breathing out, “I love you, Red. There. I fucking said it. But that doesn’t change the fact you’re marrying my brother.”
She let out a frustrating scream. I didn’t know if it was from what I said or from knowing it was the truth. Or possibly from knowing she wasn’t going anywhere unless I allowed her to. Closing her eyes, she tried to govern her breathing and her thoughts just like I’d taught her years ago.
Her fucking heart.
Would always be mine.
I loosened my grip, slowly brushing my lips against hers. I saw memories passing through her eyes, attacking her mind at rapid speed.
Of us.
As kids.
As teenagers.
Now, as adults.
Both moving in the opposite direction when I know she only ever imagined a different ending. But those happily ever afters weren’t for us—they weren’t for a man like me. The darkness had already taken hold long ago, and it would be the cruelest thing I could ever do—to fight for her, steal her away, and slowly kill her light.
“Fuck you, Romeo.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I love you. You know that. You know that… I’m no good for you. It’s why I let you go. My brother will give you everything I can’t. I know you know that too.
She turned her face away from mine, but I gripped her chin, forcing her to peer back up at me. The truth created a near standstill between us. But the truth demanded to be said despite the pain those words inflicted.
“The hardest thing I’ve ever done in all my life is to let you go. Please… forgive me,” I rasped, chest heaving.
We stared at each other for what felt like hours, both of us lost in our own darkness.
In our own demons.
“I just wanted a minute to look at you, be with you, fucking feel you against me.” Rubbing her bottom lip with my thumb, I reveled in the feel of her velvety skin. Licking away the blood from my own lips, silently wishing it was her who was doing it for me. Her eyes followed the movement of my tongue, aware of what I was thinking and what I wanted. She could always read me, which is why she hated my lies; it was an insult to everything holy between us.
“I fucking hate you,” she panted, once again slamming her lips into mine.
I growled, parting them. My hands went to the seam of her tight dress, hiking it up to her hips. Slapping her ass, making her whimper before I turned her around and shoved her against the wall instead.
I forcefully yanked her head back farther, claiming her lips. Winning this power struggle between us. Working my button and zipper, I was unable to get them open fast enough. Pulling out my hard cock, I aggressively stroked it back and forth while I crudely tore the bottom of her dress up her thighs.
My hand went to her throat and the other on her hip, gripping hard. Applying ample pressure to both. Wanting to mark her body the only way I could. In one hard thrust, I was deep inside of her.
“Fuck,” I groaned loudly against her parted lips as she hissed into mine. Crying out but not saying a word.
I dug my fingers into her hip bones, thrusting harder with more determination. There was nothing sweet about what we were doing.
It was primal.
Heady.
Angry fucking.
With every thrust inside her, the mass of my body movement inched her a little higher. Savoring the feel of my mouth claiming hers, her pussy throbbing against my shaft, and her G-spot pulsating along the head of my cock. Over and over again.
“I’m going to come,” she panted as I quickly pulled out only long enough to turn her to face me; our eyes locking as I drove in and out of her a few more times. I abruptly pulled away, needing to look into her eyes.
Spiraling out of control in a frenzy from the feel of our mouths and bodies colliding. Coming together for the first time. She could feel it as much as I could. It was lingering in both of our chaos.
Each thrust.
Every moan.
All of it.
I carried her up by her ass, making her straddle my waist before I fucked her up against the wall. A picture crashed to the floor and shattered. Her heart was beating as fast as mine. I kissed her passionately with everything left inside of me. Needing her to understand how much I loved her and hated that I had to let her go.