Page 251 of Dante
Desperate.
My hands cup her face. My mouth claims hers. I pour everything into it. Every broken piece of me. Every shattered edge.
She kisses me back.
Her fingers grip my shirt. Pull me closer. Like she's trying to hold me together.
I don't deserve her.
I don't deserve any of this.
I told her I would leave. I meant it. I had every right to walk away. To disappear. To spare her from the darkness that follows me everywhere.
And she stayed.
She slapped me. Hit me. Called me an idiot.
And then she held me while I broke.
I pull back just enough to look at her.
Water runs down her face. Her eyes are red. Swollen from crying.
But she's here.
She's still here.
"I love you."
The words come out rough. Broken.
"Marina." I press my forehead to hers. "I love you."
She makes a sound. Half sob. Half laugh.
"I know you don't believe me." My voice cracks. "I know I haven't earned it. I know I've done nothing but bring chaos into your life."
Her hands come up to my face.
"But I love you." I close my eyes. "I've loved you since the moment you opened that door two years ago. Since you stood there terrified and defiant and so fucking beautiful I couldn't breathe."
Tears mix with the water on my face.
I can't tell the difference anymore.
"I love you." The words keep coming. I can't stop them. "I love the way you cry at movies."
She laughs. A wet, broken sound.
"I love your right hand." I take it. Press my lips to her palm.
Her fingers tremble against my face.
"I love you more than everything I could ever love." My voice breaks completely. "And I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to be what you need. I've never?—"
She kisses me.
Soft. Gentle.
