Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 48700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
"Everything." His voice cracks on the word. "I'm so goddamn sorry for everything."
"You didn't do anything, Memphis."
"You could have died because of me. Because I…" he groans as if he's being torn apart. Pain flashes in his eyes, deep and infinite. "Christ, they took you because of me. Because of what I did."
"Memphis." I swallow hard, reaching up to touch his face. "They took me because Venom's brother helped kill Jayson and twelve other people. Maybe what you did was wrong, but you didn't start that war. You didn't ask him to come after me." I pause, taking a deep breath. "And he didn't wreck the van, Memphis. Um, I did."
His eyes widen as he takes in my words. "Why would you do that, Toto?"
"I knew you would come to rescue me," I whisper. "If you did, he was going to kill you. I couldn't let that happen, so I made sure he didn't get a chance."
"Jesus, Toto," he rasps. "You could have fucking died. You almost did."
"I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I had to make sure that you didn't die."
"Why?" His eyes bore into me as if he's trying to see all the way to my soul.
"B-because there's nothing left in this world for me if you aren't in it," I whisper, my heart thumping unevenly. "Because I love you." I lick my lips. "Because you're the only piece of my brother that I have left." I meet his gaze, too damn afraid to breathe. "Jayson was my brother, Memphis. I…"
"I know," he whispers when the words stick in my throat. He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip, his touch soft and healing. "I know, Toto."
"You know?" My brows furrow, disbelief and confusion mingling. "But…"
"I found out who you were right before the accident," he admits. "Figured out who the fuck Venom was right before, too. I wish to hell I'd known sooner, princess."
"I'm sorry." Biting my lip, I brace myself for the question that threatens to tear me apart. "Are…are you going to break up with me now?"
His brows furrow, and he growls as if the question pisses him off. "I should be the one asking you that question."
I stare up at him, searching for answers in his eyes as shock ripples through me. "Why would you even think—"
"Because I've been fucking up your life since you were a little girl," he whispers, the pain in his voice cutting deep. "You lost your brother because of me. Grew up without him. And you nearly lost your own life. I don't deserve you. Never fuckin' will, Toto."
He's wrong about that. He deserves the world. He always has. He's just spent too long listening to ghosts that tell him lies.
He shifts closer, his muscular frame trembling with need. "When it comes to you, I'm so fuckin' selfish, Kylie. You deserve someone better than me, but I'm here anyway, begging you not to leave me. I've never needed anything, but I need you. I can't take back what I've done, but I promise you, I'm not that man anymore."
"Memphis," I whisper. He's breaking my heart because there is no one else for me. I'm beginning to think that maybe there never was. Maybe I was always supposed to belong to him. I didn't just come here for answers. I came here for him, because this right here is where I'm supposed to be—with him. At his side. In his arms.
His thumb traces along my bottom lip, his eyes locked with mine. "I'll spend the rest of my life working to be a man worthy of you. I'll spend every fuckin' day proving to you and your brother that I can be good for you. Just don't leave me, baby." He exhales a shaking breath. "Don't make me haunt you to the ends of the earth, chasing off every motherfucker who even looks your way. You know I'll fuckin' do it, Kylie."
A smile tugs at my lips despite the situation because he's just crazy enough to do exactly that. Because he's mine. And because I wouldn't have him any other way.
"I'll make you a deal," I say, my voice soft. "You don't haunt me to the ends of the earth, and you can stay as long as you want. Forever, even. But you owe me a favor."
His eyes light up with hope, a familiar spark igniting in them. "What kind of favor?"
I smirk, meeting his gaze. "You'll just have to wait to find out," I say, the exact same thing he said to me the first night he spoke to me in his bar—no, in Jayson's bar…where my life finally began.
Chapter Sixteen
Memphis
The roar of the crowd hits me like a physical force, their energy coursing through my veins. It's electric, like something alive. I fuckin' love it.
Glancing behind me, I catch sight of Kylie standing in the wings beside Dalton, a smile lighting her up.