Page 61 of Not Another Dark Romance

His eyes hold mine, and I see the shift in them. The last remnants of his fear from tonight are being replaced by the dark, possessive confidence I love so much. “Good. Because after the way you proved your loyalty, I’m starting to think you might actually be worth the risk of prison.” He winks, and my heart does a little flip.

I slip my feet into the plush slippers he left out for me, and he takes my hand, leading me out of the bedroom and down the stairs. It’s the first time I’ve been out of his room so freely, and the feeling is heady.

The kitchen is outdated, a standard 2000s look that aged quickly with linoleum countertops and oak wood cabinets.

“What are you in the mood for, Pet?” he asks, his voice a low rumble. “Sweet or savory?”

“Surprise me,” I answer, hopping up onto one of the barstools at the island. The movement pulls the robe tight against my back, and I can feel the ghost of him spanking me as I sit.

He opens the freezer. “Ice cream?”

“Fuck yes, it’s been so long since I’ve had any.”

He chuckles. “I’d bet.”

“I can’t believe you gave me a dry protein bar when there was ice cream here the whole time. You’ve been keeping it all to yourself.”

“Guilty.” Zane laughs as he scoops chocolate chip cookie dough into a bowl. “Can I feed you?”

I nod as he sits on top of the counter so he’s above me. He scoops the first bite and holds it out to me. The cold, sweet ice cream is exactly what I need after tonight. It’s comforting, especially with Zane holding the spoon.

“How’s the brewery?” I ask between mouthfuls. “Everything going okay?”

“It’s fine. Busy with getting ready to open soon, but honestly, it’s the last thing on my mind right now.”

I pause mid-bite. “Because of me?”

His gaze is intense as he considers his response. “Yes.”

“What are you thinking about?” I push.

“Mostly, I’ve been worried about how to kill you without going to jail.”

“Psh.” I brush him off. “You were never going to kill me, Zane. Be for real.”

“I would have if you weren’t some deranged little psycho who turned this into a fucked-up fantasy I don’t think I can live without now.”

Holy shit. Can’t live without me? That’s some Romeo and Juliet shit right there. He’s basically telling me he loves me. I bite my lip to stop myself from blurting out any declarations myself. We’ve made such amazing progress in our time together, but I don’t want to push him if he isn’t ready to admit his true feelings for me just yet.

“I’m just so thankful it was you who hit me with your car and not some creepy old man who wanted to wear my skin.” I laugh, knowing how much worse this could’ve been instead of winding up in my hot waiter’s basement. Good thing I failed at stalking him, and that he wasn’t actually in the Mafia.

“Instead of all the sex shop purchases, I should’ve put lotion in a basket and told you to put it on just to get your reaction.” Zane bursts out laughing, but I shiver at the thought.

“God, then I would’ve wished I were dead.”

“Instead, you made me realize the last thing I’d want is to kill you.” The words come out quickly, but instead of it feeling like a lie the way it normally does when he quickly responds, it feels like an admission of the truth, and if his wide-eyed expression is anything to go by, he’s nearly as shocked by it as I am.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me all along,” I tease. I want to ask if he really is my boyfriend. I was the one who said it to the police officer earlier tonight, but he didn’t correct me. He also didn’t say anything about it though, so I don’t want him to feel pressured to agree because I didn’t turn him in.

He scoops the last bit of ice cream into my mouth, and while I finish swallowing it down, he puts the bowl in the dishwasher. “Come on, Pet. Time for bed. It’s been a long night, and I’ve got an early morning planned with Grant to go grocery shopping.”

He leads me back upstairs to the bathroom to brush our teeth before crawling into bed.

I slide in beside him. Piet is in his dog bed in the corner, and Zane wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me back against his chest until we’re spooned together. His soft cock is against my ass, and his arm is a heavy, reassuring weight across me.

“Zane?” I whisper into the darkness.

“Hmm?” he hums.