She shook her head, snuggling closer. “We both knew this would take time.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt him.”
“I know.”
“What can I do to fix—?”
“Kas.” She looked up, her eyes glossy with sadness and understanding. “It’s okay.”
“He probably won’t agree with you.”
“Well, he shouldn’t have come in uninvited.”
“And I shouldn’t be such a fuckup that I tried to kill your only brother.”
She laughed under her breath, granting fresh pain but also dispersing some of the intense pressure in my chest. “We’ll get through this.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. “Together, remember?”
I shuddered.
How could she forgive me for this?
How could she forgive me for any of it?
Wrapping my arms around her again, I squeezed her so damn tight. “I’m yours, Gem. Every part of me. I’ll never stop trying to be better...for you.”
“Ah, Kas.” She hugged me back. “It’s okay. It will be okay. You’ll see.”
“I love you.” I nuzzled her nose with mine. “I don’t think I’d be able to breathe again if I ever did something to make you hate me.”
“Lucky for you, that won’t happen.”
“But I almost murdered—”
“And we’ll put strategies in place to stop it from happening again.” She kissed me gently. “I love you too, Kas. And I welcomed you into my home, knowing how hard this might be...for both of us. If you’re not coping, tell me. And if I’m not coping, I’ll tell you. But regardless of how hard things get, it will get better. I know it will.”
My cock twitched with hunger. A hunger that didn’t come from lust but pure, unconditional love. I’d never wanted someone as much as I wanted Gemma. I’d never wanted to do anything, be anything just to ensure she was happy and safe.
My heart chose that moment to bind her to me. Not just for now. Not just temporary or permanently but forever.
Past life.
Past death.
She was it for me. I didn’t need more days or nights to know. I didn’t need to explore this new world and navigate a globe full of people.
She was my people.
The only person I ever needed.
And fuck, if that wasn’t the biggest, rawest acknowledgment of my life.
Wriggling out of my embrace, she smiled gently. “Well, I can say I don’t ever want that alarm clock again.” She stretched, revealing part of her stomach above the night shorts she wore.
My mouth went dry.
My cock went hard.
I glanced past her to her messy bed and debated pushing her inside to—
“Don’t you even dare.” She cracked a smile. “We need to fix this mess you made with my brother.”
My shoulders slouched. “I truly didn’t mean to hurt him.”
“I know.” Returning to her bedroom, she grabbed a matching gray robe and strode down the hallway. “Come on. Let’s get the introductions out of the way, shall we?”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THIS WASN’T THE HOMECOMING I’d envisioned.
I’d pictured happy hugs, a few relieved tears, and a couple of tasteless jokes about my affinity to disappear because rocks were more important than my brother. Instead, I had one man doing his best not to come across as threatening even though he looked like a bear standing in the corner with long hair and a scruffy beard, and another who looked as if he was two seconds away from grabbing a knife and stabbing that bear in the heart.
Belting my robe tight so I didn’t flash inappropriate leg or cleavage, I made my way to my couch and sat down. My eyes scanned my cute little house, noticing that it was spotless. All the mess of last night was gone. The only thing out of place was the pillow beside me, hinting Kas had slept here last night. Oh, and of course, the shattered TV and a couple of framed prints Katie had given me—thanks to their early morning fight.
I grabbed the pillow and placed it over my legs.
It was still warm from Kas’s head.
Had he slept okay...before Josh woke him?
I should’ve offered him an alternative to the couch. But then again, I had no other options, seeing as I only owned one bed, and the other bedrooms were extensions of my work and exercise regime.
“Come here, both of you.” I patted the couch and pointed at the opposite chair that matched my ivory suite.
Kas moved first, eager to repair the situation, not because he felt bad for my brother but because he loved me and wanted to fix this to make my life easier.
I gave him a smile for that. I would’ve given him a kiss too, but Josh hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I’d entered the living room.
Kas sat beside me, his fingers seeking mine and curling tight. The spark between us hadn’t faded in the weeks we’d grown closer; if anything, it’d increased until it hummed and throbbed instead of just crackled with power.
There were layers between us now.