Chapter Thirty-One

Kieran

For the first time in my dark life, I felt free. An insurmountable weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Though The Ark Boys knew why I wanted to bring down the Brennans, I had never told anyone about my plan B. I wouldn't let any of my brothers choose between me and an innocent life. Though Tristan, Maddox, and possibly Liam and Declan weren't innocent, Imogen and my little brother were innocent. And I'd still kill them.

Tomás slowly got to his feet and for a shattering moment, I thought he was going to continue to his room like he had intended earlier. Leave me there with my heart out.

He didn't.

He took my hand and knelt in front of me so that we were almost at eye level. My heart wouldn't stop racing and every breath was a monumental effort. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. His fingers grazed my cheek, dipped into my scalp. I closed my eyes just savoring his touch, felt his breath graze my lips as he kissed me. It was as if what words could not convey, our bodies knew how to. I felt his hands on my thighs as he leaned in deeper. My hands immediately cupped his face, wanting so much more.

He pulled away as I chased the kiss. Then he got to his feet, taking me with him. He led me up the stairs to the bedroom.

Without looking at me, he lifted his t-shirt off his body and tossed it on the floor, then he pushed the sweats down and stepped out of them, remaining completely naked. His body wasn't defined as mine. It was long and lean. Maybe, too lean. I'd have to work on getting him eating more. The tattoo on his left pec slipped into his upper arm and down his side. It wasn't colored in, just black against his suntanned skin. His dark nipples pebbled against the cool air along with his skin. He had a dusting of dark hair trailing just under his navel, spreading around his groin. His dick pulsed, growing as it hardened. And his legs were bare.

I dragged my eyes back to his beautiful face. He had a smooth jawline, thick full lips, and dark eyes shadowed by his long thick lashes. His brows pulled everything together. The lucky bastard didn't have to work to be beautiful. I didn't even think he saw what others saw in him. Pretty, maybe, but beautiful for sure. He didn't move as I took my fill of him.

"It's chilly," he said nervously.

"It won't be for long," I responded. That got his dick to rise, and I wanted to ask him what he was thinking about, what he wanted to do tonight.

"You're still dressed."

I'd always been self-conscious about my body. Yeah, I worked the hell out of it, but that had been for survival, not aesthetics. Even when I'd been with girls, I'd never taken off my t-shirt. Never allowed them to see me fully. I had catalogued all the scars my grandfather gave me throughout the years. The eight on my back for refusing to kill. The scalpel wound from my pelvis to my navel for refusing to use my body as a tool whenever he threw me like a whore to the women he wanted me to scam. The burn scar just under my sternum had meant to be a bullet. A reminder of what the enemy could do to me if I didn't act first. Tomás had been the only person who'd seen them all, who touched something deeper than my scars.

"You don't have to," Tomás said. "We don't have to do anything."

My heart couldn't take his kindness. I wouldn't survive it, survive him. I approached him like I aways have, like a predator and he, my prey. And when I slammed my mouth against his, taking possession of him, he not just melded into my touch, he became alive with something feral. Tomás's reaction to me made my soul burn for him. His frantic movements managed to undress me, but he took care not to touch the device on my arm. The shit silent. His hands roamed everywhere. Cupping the back of my head, digging his fingers in, pulling hard. That drew a moan out of me. While I started this between us, he fueled the ember that scorched my world.

I fell into the bed while he climbed over me. His tongue taking place of his hands. My body on fire. We did things that made me forget everything wrong in my life. For one more night, I gave him my body and my heart. I gave him the beautiful parts of myself. I took a part of him he gave only to me. I'd remember it, hold onto it, and not even the lies between us could take that away from me. No words were exchanged, only our heavy breaths, moans, groans, and oh fucks, until I cried out his name and he called out mine. And just as we were spent in each other's arms, listening to the rushing beat of our heart, an unspoken truth sidled between us. This would be our last time together. That truth dug deeper than I could withstand. I slid my fingers across his and I pulled out my leather bracelet. I slipped it on his wrist and tightened the knot.

"What is this?" he asked.

I popped out the blue sapphire stone to reveal my obol. The raven with the B. It also had my DNA encrusted on the underside. "Kieran, you're supposed to keep this."

"I want you to have it." I kissed him. "I want to give you a part of me to take with you."

He said nothing just ran his index finger across the gemstone. I don't know exactly when I fell asleep, but I knew nothing would be the same after I woke up alone.