Page 135 of The Risk Taker
My chest clogs up, preventing me from taking a deep enough breath. “I’ve spent years… God, Jude,” I choke, hanging my head.
Soft hands slide around my cheeks, and she lifts my face.
“I wish I could change those years you suffered. But I can’t. I’m so sorry.”
Tears shine in her eyes as she searches mine. I reach up and hold one of her hands against my cheek, turning so I can kiss her palm.
“You’ve done more for me than you’ll ever know. Seeing you in my old apartment… That place was home once, but it didn’t feel like it. All my family was there, but it felt wrong. It didn’t feel like my home anymore.”
“I know,” she says softly.
“Not until Denver arrived and I saw you.” I kiss her palm again, looking her straight in the eye. “I love you, Jude.”
A wobbly smile curves her lips. “I know. You told me when I was sleeping.”
“You heard that?”
Her smile strengthens and she nods. “I’ve been replaying it in my head ever since you said it.”
The heaviness in my chest eases for the first time in days, and I chuckle softly.
“Slade?”
“Yes, New York City?”
Her eyes glitter. “I love you too.”
We stare at one another, just drinking each other in, then I pull her lips to mine and kiss her softly.
“What do you want to do?” she asks against my mouth as I take my time brushing my lips against hers, soaking in the warmth of her.
“Not think for a while. Enjoy this peace while it lasts.”
“Me too.” Jude strokes my cheek and kisses me again.
We’ve been gone an hour. It won’t be long until they come for us. They know where Jude lives. And the press is like a rabid hyena trying to get updates on my family’s situation.
They’ll want to handle it.
Beauforts stick together.
I’m just not sure if that includes me anymore.
I sink my good hand into Jude’s hair, fisting it as a bolt of desire crashes through me. She gasps against my mouth, the sound making my dick harden rapidly in my pants. If we don’thave much time, I want to spend what we do have making her cry out my name as loud as I possibly can, while there’s no one around to hear us.
She’s seen the darkest parts of me, and she still fell in fuckinglovewith me.
“I need you,” I rasp against her lips. “Jesus fucking Christ, I’ve never needed you so damn much.”
She whimpers against me, and I kiss her harder, my control hanging on by a thread.
“You’ve got me,” she breathes, her breasts pushing against my chest as she presses herself to me like she wants to climb inside me and exist there forever.
A sudden rush of jealousy and rage hits me as I remember what her shit of an ex did to her. If he hadn’t treated her the way he did, then we would never have met, and she wouldn’t be mine now. But the thought of him having her once, and almost having her for the rest of her life coils around my neck like a python, making blood rush in my ears, and my heart pound with fury.
“Do you still have your wedding dress?”
Jude moves back, her lips flushed and puffy. I groan and rub a thumb over her lower one, picturing my cock disappearing between them.
