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Xero pauses at the end of the walkway, where there’s an iron staircase leading down to goodness-knows-where. Slender beams of moonlight shine in from the high windows, accentuating his masculine bone structure.
“Amethyst, I would crack open a thousand heads to get a glimpse of your past.”
“Why?” I whisper.
“You’re my sweetest obsession. From the moment I knew you existed, I’ve been addicted. I would slaughter every man who tried to keep me from possessing you.”
His gaze is so intense that it’s almost unbearable, yet I can’t tear my eyes away. It’s as if his heated stare has the power to sear through my flesh and render my bones to ash.
Shadows flicker across his chiseled features, making him seem otherworldly—almost divine. My heart thuds, and I struggle to maintain my composure. His presence is so overwhelming that I can’t breathe. My legs tremble so much I can barely hold up my own weight.
When he reaches out and brushes a stray curl off my face, his touch sends a zing of sensation that goes straight to my core. My arousal surges, making my knees buckle. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into his broad chest.
“I’ve got you, little ghost,” he says, his deep voice echoing across the mausoleum walls.
It’s too much. I’m powerless against Xero’s allure. All I want to do is give in to his irresistible charm, even though part of me knows it would be a mistake. How can I trust my instincts when I can’t even trust my most basic senses?
Breaking away from him, I walk backward, down the stairs, my hands gripping the iron banister.
“What are you even saying?” My words come out so hoarse that I barely recognize them as my own.
“You’re mine. Mine until the end of time. Mine until the sun goes supernova, and the moon crumbles to dust. Mine until the entire universe is reduced to atoms. And even when there’snothing left of existence but mere echoes, my soul will reach out from the void to find yours.”
He descends toward me like a specter, our height difference exaggerated by the stairs. I feel so small, so weak, so insignificant, so undeserving of such a grandiose declaration.
“Xero, this is insane,” I say, my voice breathy.
His chest rumbles with a deep chuckle that resounds across the stone walls. “Is it so hard to believe?”
“No one has ever…” I reach the bottom of the stairs and lower my lashes. “Well, you know my past.”
“Don’t let some unworthy bastard dictate your value,” he growls. “That man was too blind to see your worth, your strength, the beauty of your spirit.”
I bow my head, overwhelmed by the intensity of his words. “All my life, I’ve been a burden,” I murmur. “Someone who has sleepwalked from one messy situation to another. Life isn’t a fairy tale, and handsome princes don’t exist. The moment I become too much trouble, you’ll leave.”
“Don’t compare me to your mother,” he growls.
My head snaps up, and I meet his eyes, which are deep pools of black ringed with electric blue.
“That woman is superficial, brittle, weak. She’s too vain and shallow to give you the love you deserve.”
“Maybe she’s tired of covering up my murders,” I mutter.
“Do you think I give a shit about something as trivial as a few corpses?” he asks with a crooked smile. “Don’t forget, I spent a year cleaning up my firm’s kills.”
I huff a laugh. “That’s true.”
“You forget that I like a woman with blood on her hands.”
Warmth fills my chest, and my heart flutters. “What if I’m a compulsive killer?”
He presses me tighter against his chest. “If you want to kill assholes, I’ll be there at your side with a rag in one hand to wipe down your fingerprints and a shovel in the other to bury the carcasses.”
I chuckle. “You’re so full of shit.”
“Maybe I am, but nothing you could ever do would make me recoil.” He cups the side of my face and brings his lips close tomine. “I’m not afraid of your demons. I can’t wait to set them free.”
My heart pounds so hard, I swear it’s trying to break through my ribcage and nestle into his chest. I’ve never felt so accepted or so seen. Nothing I can ever do could drive him away, and knowing that gives me a strange sort of security. For the first time in my entire life, I feel loved, protected, special.
