Avenging Us - Gina Whitney Page 0,74

am his and he is mine. Our baby wouldn’t be fledged into chaos…she’d be blinded by love.

The evening continued. He had not spoken a word, and barely touched his meal. His silence was unsettling, even frightening. I expected something from him—anything. His face reddened, and I could see he was fighting to control his temper. Yet his eyes continued to fixate on the shoreline as the waves lapped along the sand. I remained quiet. From experience, it was wise to let him work it out internally first. Then, the words would come. The food was delicious, but the thick tension draped over me, squeezing my throat with each swallow. Dry, tasteless, and bitter. My words came back to me over and over again with each bite I took.

Earlier, our desire was barely controlled. We were desperately in love. But, I felt torn between my overwhelming love for him and the love for our daughter. This was about my love for both of them.

He spun around suddenly, causing me to jump, his teeth showing as if he were about to growl. “I’d hate for you to feel you’re being held captive by a nomadic-mess of a rock star.” His face darkened further, but I remained confidently quiet, despite my pounding pulse. “I didn’t realize you felt the way you did. And, well, I take that personally.” His rage was very apparent, not only through his harsh words, but also by his narrowed eyes and furrowed brow. “I’ve failed to take care of you, and my lifestyle isn’t good for Bella.”

Oh, for the love of all things holy. Really? “Not true, and you’re twisting the intent behind my words,” I said tersely, not caring how he took my attitude at the moment.

His gaze was unnerving, but the creases in his brows held disappointment. I knew the facial expressions of Abel well. Just like he was proficient in reading mine. His feelings were hurt, and as badass as he liked to portray himself to be, he was still a man with pride in his eyes and love in his heart. However, his secondary needs were tricky. It was his fear of rejection and abandonment that he struggled with. He attempted to mask this with primary needs…thirst, hunger, and sex. I am no stranger to the way he feels. We are very similar in that way. So I knew I needed to be assertive and consistent in my response. That way, there would be no misunderstanding. I decided to take a page out of the Abel handbook of hard-hitting, jaw-dropping, flat-out truths.

His scrutinizing eyes watched me carefully.

“I’m very lucky to be in love with you. To be loved by you. I can live without some things, but never you.” I dropped my napkin and went to him tentatively. “How can I possibly express to you in words that have been said a thousand times?” His eyes fell to my mouth. “My heart’s on fire for you. It burns and will keep burning, because I want you. I need you. I love you.” His silence nearly killed me. A breath away from his lips…all rational thought was slipping out the open window of control. Hold it together, I thought. This is his move. Let him make it. Have some faith.

Before I blinked, his lips were on mine, claiming me without our bodies touching. Without any hesitation, we didn’t fight the hungered passion between us. No matter how much he kissed my lips, it wasn’t enough. I was lost in him. The passion behind his kisses, his scent, and his touch. Consumed by lust, I drove my tongue deeper. Pulled the back of his neck closer. More. I just wanted more. It was the sound of my zipper being tugged that popped my eyes open. His eyes were nothing but black, depthless pits of carnal need. He released my kiss and pulled me across his lap to cradle me in his arms. One hand worked the side zipper, while the other hand pulled the material over my hips. His fingers grabbed the string of my panties and tore them off…leaving me bare and exposed. Punishment. Alpha, potent, possessive, and dominant to the point of insanity. Heat blew wickedly across my face. The thought of this waiter coming to check our table disturbed me.

“You know how turned on I get when you flush? However, I will not penetrate you…not even with my tongue or fingers.” I considered his words and what that meant for me. He caressed