CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

B rayden woke up with Willow draped over him. One of his arms was tightly wrapped around her, the other flung out across the bed. Her head resting on his large chest and a hand wrapped around his bicep.

It was how they slept most nights.

Except this would be the last time.

His chest tightened, and he stared coldly at the ceiling.

He’d heard Willow opening the jewelry box and had squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the sound of her throwing it across the room. Yet another rejection.

Instead, he’d heard her tears, and they had clawed at his heart. Without thinking, he’d gone to her and thank fuck, she hadn’t turned him away.

For a moment, he thought he’d seen acceptance and love in her eyes, but he was hurting too much to hope.

It was better if he continued with his plans. Soon Craig would alert them and would remove her memories.

Forever.

His chest heaved, and his little human stirred, eyelids fluttering open as she shifted to look at him. Immediately, tears began flowing down her cheeks onto his chest.

Brayden ran a hand over her hair, kissing her forehead.

Despite the growing pain and darkness threatening to overtake him, he still had an overwhelming need to comfort her. Even in the face of her painful rejection.

“I love you,”

Her words startled him.

“Willow.” He replied, squeezing his eyes shut.

“It’s okay. I understand if you don’t feel the same way after I chose to leave you.”

He sat up, clutching her arms.

Did he dare believe?

“Willow. Fuck. I love you. Now and always.”

His lips slammed against hers, and her hands gripped his arms. Their kiss deepened as she welcomed him inside.

His cock hardened.

“I need you,”

When she nodded, Brayden pulled her legs around him and pressed against her entrance. She was wet, and as she moved his cock around her pussy, she arched into him.

Then he pressed into her, moaning against her mouth.

“Fuck, Willow. You are mine.”

Soon they found a smooth rhythm, and he pulled her on top of him. She half sat up, giving him access to her breasts. He sucked one nipple, loving her sweet moans.

“Bray, oh yes, Bray, please.”

Flipping them, he placed her under him and pushed her legs up to her shoulders.

“Take all of me, Willow.”

He pressed in balls deep, thrusting again and again while his mate cried out. Sliding a hand between them, he rubbed her clit, and her cries turned to a scream. When her pussy tightened around his cock, Brayden released his seed in a powerful explosion that sent a vibration through his entire body.

He released her legs but stayed inside her as she panted.

Gazing deeply into her eyes, he took her face in the palm of his hand and kissed her. “Forever, Willow. Even when you no longer remember me, you will always be my only love.”

Willow burst into tears. “Bray,”

He slipped out of her and pulled her into his arms, his cum spilling between them, but he couldn’t give a shit.

“Hey. It’s okay.”

It really fucking wasn’t.

He shouldn’t have said that, but goddamn it, he needed to have his moment to love her one last time. To tell her how he felt.

Then, when he knew she was okay, he could let go and slip into the darkness.

He loved her too much to take away her choice. He would never do what his father had done. He would never watch his mate stare at him with disgust. He’d seen enough of it today and it was as bad as he’d imagined.

“I don’t think I can do it,” Willow said.

“You don’t have to do anything, sweetheart. You’ll be home soon, in your new home in Hawaii. And you won’t remember a thing.”

Brayden’s heart splintered a little more with every word, even as he felt the overpowering need to comfort her.

She pulled away from him. “No. I mean, I don’t think I can leave you!”

Oh.

What the fuck.

His eyes slowly widened. Had he heard her correctly?

He had to be sure.

“Please don’t play with me, Willow. I’m not joking when I say this is killing me.”

She gripped his face in her hands as if her life depended on it.

His did. Not hers.

“Brayden, I’m not playing games, I swear. I love you. I want you in my life, but I’m so fucking terrified.” She said and he could hear her heart thumping, while he was trying to make sense of her words.

He didn’t know if he had it in him to ask her to stay again. Was that what she was saying?

If she said no, his heart would tear in half.

Again.

The darkness within him was simmering just below the surface, tapping its feet. He could snap and lose it at any point.

Brayden knew he was a dangerous vampire.

He’d hold it together until he got the king and queen home safely, then no one would be able to hold him back.

“Willow...”

Fuck, Brayden, get your shit together.

He needed to man up.

He was a goddam alpha vampire.

Was he not capable of growing a bigger pair of balls and risk breaking the rest of his shattered heart? Was she not worth it? The fuck she wasn’t! If he lost this female because he didn’t have the resilience or strength to ask her one more goddamn time, then he’d regret it for the rest of his life.

And it would be a long fucking life.

“Come home with me, Willow. Give me a week, another damn week, to show you who I truly am. To show you my life, and what an immortal world could mean for you. Then you can decide.”

She stared at him. Her tears falling from eyes rich in fear.

“I promise you, on my life, you will be safe. Nothing will happen to you, and if you still want to return to your human life, I will take you home.”

“Yes. Okay. I’ll go.” She nodded, gulping through the tears. “I’m so scared, though, Brayden.”

Oh my God.

He pulled her into his arms. “Thank fuck. I know you’re scared, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make you feel safe.”

Now he had the biggest job of his life: convincing Willow to accept his world and become a vampire.

Shit.

No fucking pressure.

Brayden kissed her nose and stared lovingly into her beautiful green eyes. Then he suddenly looked up. “Quick, get dressed. We’re going to have company in thirty seconds.”