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“My mother cheated on my father and that’s why he went crazy that night,” I whispered. “I found it out after I’d been adopted, found all the articles online.”
“Sunshine, that’s not you.”
“But isn’t it? Because I remember, Dad did all the things you were supposed to. I used to walk in on them dancing in the kitchen, thinking to myself I couldn’t wait to have a love like that. He brought her flowers every week. Treated her like a queen. And she still stabbed him in the back.”
I bit down on my trembling lip. “Isn’t that like what I did to Clark? Hurt a good man?”
I didn’t know why this was coming out now. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been able to apologize to Clark. Maybe it was because, every day, Ari seemed too good to be true. A dream I could never live without.
The car suddenly seemed suffocating, like I was going to pass out if I was trapped in here for one more moment.
“Please pull over,” I gasped, a panic attack fluttering to life, the edges of my vision turning to black.
Ari immediately pulled to the side of the road, and I was jumping out of the car before he’d even stopped all the way, taking in big desperate gulps of air.
Ari’s arms wrapped around me and he held me against his chest.
"Deep breath, angel, and then exhale slowly. You're doing great,” he murmured soothingly.
And I was transported to another time, another place, when he’d said those same exact words…
His heart seemed to beat against my back, and somehow, my breaths were able to slow.
Ari slowly turned me in his arms, and then grabbed my chin so I had no choice but to look at him.
"Let’s get something perfectly fucking clear, sunshine. You didn’t cheat on Clark. You were never supposed to be with him. He was a fucking imposter, holding you back from your destiny. Clark wasn't your soulmate. You weren’t supposed to be with him. You werealwayssupposed to be with me. No matter the circumstances, I would have found you, stolen you away. It wouldn’t have mattered if you were married with ten fucking kids—I would have made you mine.” His fingers dug into my skin, more intensity in his features than I’d ever seen before. “We were always meant to be together, Blake. No matter what."
A hiccuped sob burst from my mouth, and he gave me a gentle smile, his thumb tracing delicate patterns on my cheek. "Blake," he whispered, "you're the love of my fucking life."
Tears were streaming down my face, my heart beating erratically as his words flowed through me…and remade me.
“You love me?” I whispered. Because I’d heard those words before from a man, but somehow they’d never felt like this.
They’d never felt real.
“You haven’t been listening very good, sunshine. My soul’s been whispering it to you every day.”
His lips crashed into mine, and this kiss was different, better than anything that had come before.
“Say it, baby,” he ordered between drugging, languid kisses.
“I love you,” I said immediately, because there was no point holding back.
Maybe it wasn’t even possible.
The weight that had settled on my chest began to lift, replaced by a profound sense of completeness. Ari's unwavering faith in our love was a lifeline in the tempest of my insecurities. With him by my side, I could almost believe it was possible to get rid of the shackles of my past.
And as the miles melted away beneath the wheels of the car, the night air seemed to hold the promise of a new beginning.
Ari made love to me all night, whisperingI love youa million times until the words were embedded in my skin.
I just hoped it was enough.
CHAPTER16
ARI
Iwas in my happy place—Blake’s pussy, when my phone began dinging continuously, shattering the mood like a disgruntled violinist in the middle of a serene sonata. I fully planned on ignoring it, but it was too far away for me to reach out and mute it. And that many messages seemed a little dramatic. I gave her perfect cunt one last lick before I sat up, my tongue licking her juice off my skin so I didn’t miss one drop.
