Chapter Seventy-Eight

Ghost

N ot trusting Helios at his word, I scanned the street as I led Safiya to the G63 half a block away.

Following my glance and making her own scan of our surroundings like I'd taught her to do, she wrapped her free arm protectively across her chest. A gesture she rarely did.

"Cold?" It was South Florida.

"I am fine, thank you." She moved closer to me as a car passed. "Why did you park down the street from your mother's house?"

She knew the protocols. "Do you remember what I taught you about where you leave a vehicle?"

"Yes. Never park in front of the place you are actually going to."

Her hand in mine, I squeezed then praised her. "That's correct, beautiful."

She shivered. "You need a protocol for your mother?"

I needed them for everything, including her. "You know the answer to that." Guiding her across the street, I led her to the passenger door of the SUV, opened it, and tossed Feralyn's purse in the back before capturing her dark-eyed gaze. "Being around me is not without risk."

She hesitated. "Even now?"

For her? Especially now. But not for the reasons she was probably thinking. "Yes."

Her gaze fell to the pavement, and she nodded, but she didn't make a move to get in the SUV.

I'd downloaded intel to her. I'd offered her an out twice. I'd both shown and told her my intent, and I'd given her a piece of my past. But I hadn't expressly told her that while she was now safe from the source that'd brought us together, my past would always be an issue. "Do we need to talk?" I didn't want to have this conversation on the fucking street, but I would.

She looked up at me and took it there. "Will it always be like this? The protocols, the danger, the risks? Parking around corners?" She looked past me. "Leaving without saying goodbye?"

I didn't cup her face.

I didn't give her security.

I didn't hesitate.

Palming her throat, tilting her head up with a hard press of my thumb against her jaw, I pushed her against the SUV, and I took.

Slanting my mouth over hers, biting that fucking lip, driving my tongue past her gasp, I took what I'd wanted for eight goddamn years.

I took and I fucking devoured her.

Innocence, purity, and sweet mindfuck submission, she sank into me and moaned.

Then she kissed me back.

If we weren't braced against the SUV, this woman would've brought me to my knees.

Tangling her hands in my hair, her tongue following my lead, she gave me a piece of her.

And she gave me trust.

Groaning into her mouth and stroking deep like a starved man before forcing myself to shut it down, I retreated with one more pull at her bottom lip.

Her eyes closed, her lips wet with my mark, she swayed.

"Look at me, Safiya."

Languid and kiss-drunk, she opened her eyes and slow blinked.

I threaded my hand into her thick, silky hair. "Yes, it's always going to be like this." Swiping my thumb across her bottom lip, I possessively rubbed my mark on her flesh. "It's also going to be more." I lifted her into the car, buckled her in, and shut the door.

By the time I got behind the wheel, she looked more composed, but she'd gone quiet.

Thirty seconds down the road, while looking out her window, she traced a finger over her bottom lip.

My cock throbbed, and obsession grew.

Reaching over, I took her hand.

Then I brought our clasped fingers to my mouth, and did what I'd done to that lip she was touching that now belonged to me.

I grazed her knuckles.