Page 324 of Once Upon a Fable

She. Was. Mine.

But in return, that meant I was hers.

Heart, body, and fucked-up soul.

And if I admitted to that, it would be my Fable family all over again.

I would give up my life to keep her safe, even if that meant keeping her safe from me. I would do whatever was necessary to make her happy, and the key to her happiness was to release her.

To let her go home.

Where I wouldn’t be able to watch over her—wouldn’t be able to protect her from men like Storymaker. My gut churned with acid at the thought of Storymaker ever getting his hands on Gemma. Of guests making her scream.

Fuck.

My muscles locked with fury.

“Hey...” Her hand landed on my chest, her fingers pressing against my thundering heart. “It’s okay.” Her hazel gaze glittered with worry, ringed with gold and green, a wisdom that made me feel unworthy and adrift.

I felt so goddamnlostall the time.

I needed an anchor. I wanted her to be that anchor.

But even now, I felt the looseness in my thoughts. The haze of white just waiting for me to snap into forgetfulness.

She swayed closer, her nipples hard beneath her dress. “Do you want me to let you go?” she asked again, her fingers flexing on the chain she still held, keeping me trapped.

I looked down at her hands, one on my chest and one on the remnants of Parable, and I saw a fork in my future.

The chain had all the power to suck me back and keep me imprisoned. I could continue to be a toy for the ghosts inside this mansion and fight demons that would never die.

Or...or I could choose her.

I could finally admit that even though it would drive me insane in a different way, I wanted to be worthy of this girl.

Her.

I want her.

My stomach clenched as she sucked in a breath, sensing I’d reached a decision. The world fell away as I reached out and cupped her breast, running my thumb over her nipple.

She twitched as a noiseless moan escaped her.

I looked up.

I studied this girl who’d trespassed and made my life a living hell, and suddenly, it was all too much. Drawing my hand from her breast, overher throat, to her cheek, I pressed my palm against her softness.

Her eyes snapped closed as her entire body shivered. “You don’t have to hold yourself back with me,” she breathed. “I know...I know you want me.”

Dragging my thumb over her bottom lip, I forced words through a tight and gravelly throat. “But do you...want me?”

Her eyes flared, more gold than green, vibrant with lust. “If you are aware of who I am and where we are, then yes.” Her tongue touched my thumb with a sensuous lick. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you, even while I fought you.”

Pulling her to me, I smashed my mouth to hers.

She gasped in shock as I broke the seal of her lips, driving my tongue deep.

I wasn’t slow.