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“I thought about it… But I couldn’t. I just wanted you to show me.”
Raven’s lip quivers, and Ipull her into my arms.
“Dylan, I’m sorry. I knew he was up to something. I just… I needed to know what could be that bad and what you…”
“What I was capable of?” I finish for her, hating that he got to her and for a moment made her question who I am.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice is tight as she looks me in the eye.
“Nothing to be sorry for, Darling,” I whisper, holding her close. “We’ve both been fucked over, and I understand questioning things… especially when it’s not supposed to be anything…” I can’t finish the thought.
It was revenge. Then business.
“So, what now?” she asks, and I let go of her to hold her at arm’s length, looking into her eyes. They’re clear, focused… and sexy as fuck with the anger burning in their depths. She doesn’t like that Evan tried to use her any more than I do.
Neither of us has said it aloud, though. The part that really matters. The thread that kept me hanging on tonight.
“Now, we have a choice to make.” I force a smile, letting her know her feelings on the matter will be considered. “We can ignore what he tried to do and focus on us. You can be mine, I’ll be yours, and this will simply be a failed attack on his part to break us apart.”
“Or?” she hedges.
“Or we can make him pay like we intended when this whole thing started. We can destroy him once and for all.”
I keep my face neutral while she mulls it over. I’d like to say that if she chooses option one, I’ll go along with it, but the truth is, I’m not sure I can let go of the hatred I’ve felt toward Evan so easily. I would try for Raven, though, if it’s truly what she wants.
“I feel like if we let this go, he’ll only try again, and I don’t want to live our lives constantly worried about what shit he’s going to pull.” She looks up at me and takes a steadying breath. “Dylan?”
“Yes, Darling?” I say, praying she’s about to give the answer I’m hoping for.
“Destroy him.”
“Fucking hell,” I murmur.
“What?” she asks, truly not realizing.
“You’re even sexier when you want to burn the world down,” I tell her and steal her lips for a kiss before having her under me, moaning my name like she should have been doing an hour ago.
CHAPTER 25
RAVEN
Ilook over at Dylan nervously, still not sure if I made the right decision in inviting him to tonight’s party. This is basically ripping him from the relative safety of his penthouse and throwing him in a pit with feral lions… or lionesses, I suppose, since I’m thinking specifically of Maggie and Ami.
My hands are clammy at the thought of Dylan seeing this side of my life, being a part of it and possibly us being… more. I try not to make it a big deal and I try not to overthink. But the fact that I pushed him like that, called his bluff and showed my ass and he still wants me… I don’t deserve it, and my feelings for him have somehow grown even more. I feel like I’m perched on the edge and he alone has the power to push me over.
I love him.
It’s so damn obvious to me. I love Dylan Sharpe. I know we’re different, though. Our lives are nothing alike.
“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” I ask him, pulling hisattention away from the passing cars on the street outside. Thankfully, Vince, his driver, is too busy with the traffic as we head toward our destination because Dylan looks at me with amusement lighting his eyes because the PDA is a bit much. I lean into his side, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders. His touch and warmth are a soothing balm and reassure me.
He answers with a smirk on his face although his tone is deadpan. “It might be a bit… well, to steal one of Ami’s words… wooo!” I can’t help but laugh when his brows jump up his forehead at the odd sound coming from me. This man’s heard me moan, cry, gasp, and more, but a ‘wooo’ is apparently the shocking oddity.
With his sleeves rolled up, his shirt unbuttoned, and a five o’clock shadow, he looks a touch more rugged today, and I freaking love this look on him. Laid back but handsome.
His answering smile is full of confidence when he leans back to look at me. “I’m excited to meet your friends and happy to do anything with you. Even if it involves ‘woooing’.” He says it flatly, like the concept of fun is foreign to him, but I know that’s not true. He’s absolutely fun, just in a very different way from Maggie and Ami.
I try to relax, warmed by his words and rarely seen dry sense of humor.
