Page 72 of Merciless King

I couldn’t answer because my orgasm exploded through me. I cried out, shaking and shuddering against him.

“Fuck,” Van bit out then he growled and slammed up into me.

I felt him thicken and pulse deep inside me. His hands dropped back to my ass and he started moving me on his cock, thrusting up, taking over, coming with me.

I couldn’t move, but I didn’t have to. I’d barely recovered when Van stood and, still inside me, carried me to his room. He lay me on the bed, earning another moan and shudder as he slid gently from my body and strode to the bathroom to get rid of the condom.

When he came back, he was completely naked, and I watched him with hooded eyes. He helped me undress, since I was near useless, and climbed in with me. He pulled the covers over us, then dragged me over his body.

He stroked my back and down to my butt, and I sighed with pleasure.

“Will you?” he said, voice gritty and low.

I was struggling to stay awake, let alone follow what he was saying. “Hmm?”

“Stay. I know I have no right to ask, but yeah, I’m asking. Don’t leave. Don’t move away. Stay, London.”

Okay, now I was fully alert. I lifted my head. Yes, I’d contemplated leaving when I thought things were through with Van and me, but I hadn’t thought about it in the last week, not really. It didn’t hold the same appeal, not anymore.

“I’m not leaving,” I said.

He let out a rough, shuddery breath. “And will you stay here with me?”

I frowned, but my heart skipped a beat at his words and what they might mean. “I just said I was staying,” I said cautiously.

“You don’t know this, ’cause I’m a stubborn asshole and get in my own damn way a lot, but I haven’t just wanted you for a couple of weeks, London,” he said, ignoring what I’d just said. “I’ve wanted you for close to two years.”

I stilled.

“I saw you that first day while I was parked outside your apartment. I was there to do my job, but every time you walked by, I couldn’t take my eyes off you. I looked forward to it, watching you stroll by in your pretty dresses and carrying your flowers, so fucking beautiful, so sweet.”

I stared at him in shock. I knew Van had been working a case when he saved me close to two years ago—he’d told me what happened, but I’d had no idea he knew who I was before he burst into my apartment and saved my life.

“I wanted you back then, so bad, and walking away from you when you recovered was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He shifted his fingers through my hair. “My father was an angry man, an abusive man. He took that anger out on Hunter and me, on our mom. But Mom and Hunter got the worst of it for a lot of twisted, fucked-up reasons. And I blamed myself for not being able to protect them. I’ve carried that guilt nearly all my life. I always thought…” He shook his head. “I’ve got this anger inside me, London.” He started massaging the back of my neck. “I would never hurt you or anyone I care about, but if someone hurts you, you have to know that I would feel no remorse taking that person out. None. I have some of him in me, and that part of me, I didn’t want it touching you.”

I cupped the side of his face, hurting for him, for what he’d been through. I hated knowing he’d suffered like that, but so incredibly humbled he’d shared that painful part of his life with me. “I know you’d never hurt me.”

“You were so fucking sweet and perfect, I hated the thought of you seeing that rage inside me. Seeing what I’m capable of and being disgusted or afraid. And I knew, after what happened, I would destroy anyone who tried to hurt you. Christ, London, when I walked into your apartment and…he was hurting you.” His jaw tightened. “Something snapped inside me. Baby, I hadn’t begged for anything since I was a terrified kid. But that day, trying to stop you bleeding out, holding you in my arms, working on you until the paramedics arrived—you better believe I begged. I begged and pleaded with you, with anyone who was listening, for you to hang on.”

I pressed my finger against his lips, stopping him, fighting the tears threatening to spill over. What he was saying tore me up. I had no idea. “You need to understand this, to really let this sink in…I would never—could never—be afraid of you. That part of you that you think would disgust me, that fierce protective side of you, makes me feel safe. So safe, Van. Safer than I’ve ever been in my life. I needed that and you gave it to me.”

“Yeah?” he said hoarsely.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“That’s good, because you need to know that I don’t plan on walking away, not this time, not again. We’ve wasted enough time. I want you here with me. I want you to move in.”

I blinked and a tear streaked hotly down my cheek. “You do?”

“I love you, London, and being apart from you fucking sucks, so let’s not do that shit anymore.”

I grinned. “I love you, too.” I pressed my mouth to his. “And yes,” I said against his lips. “I’ll move in.”

He kissed me fiercely until I was breathless.

“You just made me so fucking happy, sweetheart.” He rolled, taking me to my back, and looked down at me. His eyes flashed dark and wicked and hot. “Now I want my dessert,” he said and kissed his way down my body.

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