Chapter 36
Mila
Dash reaches between our sweaty bodies, his fingers brushing against my swollen core; he raises his hand and sees blood. My blood.
I gave him my virginity.
I don ’ t regret it.
I wanted to live, and have this memory with Dash, the man who fixed me, the man who allowed me to see his caged heart.
I ’ ve been raised to think the most violent love stories are beautiful tragedies worthy of a stage. I ’ ve danced to them all my life, so seeing blood mixed with love feels normal.
Blue eyes lock onto the blood. What ’ s he thinking?
I never know which side he will give me. The cold king or the broken prince.
“ Did,” he swallows as if pained, “ Did it hurt? Did I hurt you?”
So it ’ s the prince.
“ No.”
“ Liar.” he curls his fingers into a fist.
“ It was worth it,” I reply as I curl into his side. He hesitates before he places his arm over me. We lay in silence.
What ’ s he thinking about?
I kiss his chest.
“ This changes nothing.” Dash bites, but his fingers grasp me tighter.
I grin over his chest. “ Liar.”
“ I ’ ll probably be dead by the end of the month.”
I push up on my elbow, “ Liar.” I call his bluff. “ You ’ ll survive.”
He arches a brow, his eyes finally looking at me. Reaching out, he pushes my hair behind my ear. I love how his eyes look lost as they look into mine. “ How can you be so hopeful?” He mutters.
“ Because you ’ ll fight for me. You ’ ll fight to taste me again.”
His eyes narrow gradually, as if he were a king on a balcony who had just spotted a threat. “ You think so highly of yourself for a virgin.”
“ I know my worth.”
“ Yet you bargain it so cheaply.”
“ You were worth it.”
“ You claim that now,” He replies with a hint of pain.
“ I ’ m going to change your mind, Dash King.” His eyes close in pain as if the mention of his last name is fire to the flesh. “ One day, you ’ ll run away with me.”
He offers a cold, mocking smile. “ One day you will wake up and realize all your fantasies were just that—dreams, hopes, and aspirations that will never come true.”
“ Maybe I won ’ t wake then.” I lay my cheek on his chest. “ Maybe I can stay asleep and dream of you.”