Page 174 of Glutton for Punishment

“And if they somehow try?” I say. “I will force every member of that Council to vote the way I want. They won’t take you again. I will protect you. Maddox will protect you.”

Arwen’s expression softens, but she shakes her head.“What about everything you’ve worked for? You’ve been training for this your whole life, Atticus. Pride, the Councilor seat—” She stops, like she’s searching for the right words. “You were born into this. I don‘t want to be the reason you walk away from all of it.”

“I’ve spent my entire life performing for him like a puppet. Every handshake, every dinner, every carefully worded answer to every carefully worded question.” I think about the contract on my desk. “And I keep thinking—what am I preserving? What is it I‘m supposed to be so afraid of losing.“

Arwen doesn’t respond.

“Because from where I’m standing, the thing I’m most afraid of losing is already right in front of me. And I keep acting like that’s the thing I’m supposed to sacrifice.”

I step closer to her.

“I’m done with that.”

The air in the room crystallizes, holds its breath for a single heartbeat.

Then Arwen is on me. The world blurs as she closes the distance between us, her fingers twisting into the fabric of my shirt, pulling me down to meet her. Her mouth crashes against mine in a collision of months of pent-up frustration. A ragged sound tears from my throat as I haul her against me, my hands finding her waist, her back, anything to pull her closer.

Universe, finally.

Her fingers find my hair. I cup her face in both hands and kiss her like I’ve wanted to since the day she crashed into my life and turned everything upside down. I guide her back onto the edge of the table and step into the space between her knees. My hands move back to her waist.

I kiss her slowly this time. Her hands settle on my shoulders, and I feel the slight curl of her fingers against the fabric there. I take her bottom lip between mine and hold it gently.

Eventually, I pull back just far enough to see her face. “I know this doesn‘t fix everything,” I say in a low voice. “Last year still happened. The things I did—they hurt you. I’m not asking you to forget that.”

Her eyes hold mine, waiting.

“I know trust isn’t something you just hand over.” My thumb brushes her cheekbone. “But I need you to know where I stand.”

The words come out steady and true.

Bond or no bond. Council seat or exile. My name, my inheritance—none of it means anything if it means losing you."

She just stares at me, lips parted, breathing unsteadily.

“Last year was hell for both of us,” she says softly. “We were just trying to survive.” No bitterness in her voice. “Then you followed me into Academy Hollow. You stood in front of the Council and fought for me. You’ve protected me and taught me.” Her fingers lace through mine. “I hate the thought of you giving up everything you’ve built.” Her thumb brushes my knuckles. “But I want you here with me.”

Her eyes hold mine. “I want you to be my bonded, Atticus.”

For a second, I can only stare at her. My whole life has been a checklist of expectations—pride, duty, legacy—each accomplishment just another box to tick on the way to becoming someone my family could finally approve of. Approval that never seemed to stick.

Then she says those eight words, and something in my chest cracks open.

My throat goes tight. “Arwen...” It comes out rough, unfamiliar. I shut my eyes for a beat and let my forehead rest against hers.

Fuck, this woman owns my soul.

When I look again, her gaze hasn’t wavered. I take her hand and press my mouth to her knuckles. I slide one hand around her waist and find the back of her neck with the other, gathering her hair until her chin lifts. The blue of her eyes up close is something I have thought about more than I will ever tell her.

I press my mouth to hers. She makes a soft, breathless sound against my mouth, and I pull her forward along the table until there is no space left between us.

I want to consume her fully. Get her so close that I can feel her under my skin, so I know for certain I’ll never have to be without her.

I kiss her until I’m breathless, until the world spins and I forget every reason I ever had to hold back. I want her ruined for me; I want every memory of this afternoon to burn itself permanently into both of us.

Every part of me is straining to get closer, to swallow her down, to make her forget anyone else ever touched her. I slide my hand from her waist up to her back, flattening her to my chest as I kiss her harder, rougher, devouring the soft little whimpers she can’t bite back.

Her legs wrap around my waist, and when I press my hips flush against hers, she exhales a sound that makes me want to shatter. Papers scatter, a pen clatters to the floor. She drags her hands up my torso, under my shirt, her nails digging crescent moons into my back.