“I know.” I sniffle, taking a deep breath. “He told me that I belonged to him,” I whisper, shuddering at the memory. “He s-said that my father took me from him and poisoned me against him.”
“You don’t belong to him,” Zane growls, pure murder in his voice. “You don’t belong to anyone, little rebel. But you belongwithme. Right here.” He lifts my hand, placing it over his heart. “This is where you live now. This is your home.”
“And this is yours,” I say, placing his hand over my heart as tears slip down my cheeks. “You’re part of me, Zane. You’re my heart. I thought love was a cage, but I was so wrong about that.” I stare into his obsidian eyes in awe. “Loving you set me free. For the first time, I feel like the shadows of my past have lost their grip on me. You freed me from them.”
“Jesus,” he rasps, dragging me closer as water sloshes over the edge of the tub. “You’ll always be free with me, little rebel. I won't ever cage you. I don’t want to change you. I plan to adore you exactly the way you are.”
“Then love me, Zane,” I plead, wrapping my body around his. “I need to feel you.”
“Are you sure, baby? You’ve been through a lot today.”
“I’ve never been more sure.” Nothing puts me back together like the weight of his body on top of mine. Nothing roots me to reality like his touch. Right now, I need that. I need him to banish every memory of Jimmy’s grip on my arm and help me close this chapter of my life for good.
He wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace, hauling us out of the tub with his powerful thighs. Water sluices from us in a flood, falling like rain all around us. Zane holds me like I'm priceless as he steps over the side and reaches for a fluffy bath towel.
He slides me down his body, his lips meeting mine. His kiss is soft and sweet, tinged with devotion as he runs the towel over every inch of my body, drying me with meticulous care.
By the time he's finished, I'm trembling in his arms, powerful waves of desire rushing through me. I kiss my way down his chest, chasing water droplets with my lips. He groans, his cock stiffening between us.
"Not tonight, little rebel," he says, grabbing my hand when I reach for his cock. "Tonight is about you." He sweeps me into his arms, striding into the bedroom.
Soft moonlight shines through the windows and the skylight over the bed, lighting the room with the twinkling colors of night. The sky is so clear here, a million stars glittering like diamonds in a sea of midnight blue.
Zane lays me out in the middle of the bed and then raises up to stare down at me. If I live to one hundred, I'll never forget the fierce devotion shining in his eyes. It reflects like stars, glittering more brightly than the brightest ones in the sky overhead.
"Every time I think I can't possibly love you more, I look at you and fall all over again, little rebel," he says, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're so goddamn perfect. It's a little terrifying to realize I have to let you leave my bed looking like you do."
"Well," I whisper, smiling up at him. "Maybe you could leave me a little parting gift so everyone knows that I'm taken."
His cock jerks, precum spilling from the head. "Are you asking me to get you pregnant, Autumn?"
"Who's asking?" I meet his gaze, my heart thundering in my chest. "Get me pregnant, Zane. I know that's what you've been trying to do."
Consternation flickers through his expression. "You caught on, huh?"
"You aren't very sneaky." I grin at him. "And in case you haven't noticed, I haven't exactly put up a fight." I swallow past the lump in my throat. "I knew," I whisper. "Even when I was too scared to admit it, I knew I belonged with you."
"Fuck," he growls, crawling onto the bed with me. His body covers mine as he claims my mouth in a deep kiss, pouring his heart and soul into it.
I gasp, arching beneath him as my own soul rises up in response, surging forward to answer his. He runs his hands down my body, leaving trails of fire in his wake.
"Make love to me," I plead.
"I am, little rebel. I am." He kisses his way down my body, lavishing attention on me. Not a single inch of my body goes unexplored as he worships me with his lips and tongue and hands, whispering the sweetest words.
By the time he lands between my legs with his face buried in my sex, I'm a sobbing, stuttering mess. His first lick takes me over the edge. I shout his name as I unravel, falling to pieces in his arms.
He eats me through it, driving me straight from one orgasm into another. I sob, clawing at his shoulders and back.
"Yes," he croons, prowling up my body. "This is what I want you to remember about today, little rebel. I want you to remember that you won. And I want you to remember how fucking good you feel right now. Nothing else."
"Zane," I whimper, wrapping my body around his as he places me in his lap and then reaches between us to grab his cock.
He lifts me with one hand, lining himself up at my entrance. His mouth meets mine as he lowers me onto him, filling me slowly.
"I love you, Autumn," he breathes against my lips.
I sob against his mouth, so overwhelmed by him and the way I feel about him that I can't form words. I don't think there are any. There's only this… the exquisite pleasure overtaking both of us as we kiss and rock, connected in a way that's deeper than anything physical and older than time. It's my soul reaching out for his, and his answering.