16. Joker
She owns me. I am all in and entirely hers. Every part of me is hers. I cannot walk away, nor will I ever entertain the idea again. The thought of someone else touching her makes me see red. I will cut the hands off anyone who tries, then gift wrap them for her. Call me a romantic, but I have done it before when I saved her and will do it again, then sleep like a baby. I almost feel this is a dream because it doesn’t seem real. Maybe I will never wake up if that proves to be true. Or continue to touch her and enjoy it. I am going to try everything to keep myself from fucking this up. I feel like a stalker who finally claimed his prize, and I can’t get enough.
“You tattooed me on you?” She acts like this is a surprise. Is she really that blind? I need her with me, even if she isn’t with me. It was my way of having her without breaking my promise to the universe.
“After I found you, this felt like the only way to have you with me. Because I was never supposed to have you, but you have owned me since I met you.” Damn. I sound like a bitch, but for her, I will do anything. I never believed I could get the girl because I don’t deserve her, but at least I know that. Guys like me don’t get the girl. I stroke her face, vow to touch her, and show her how much she means to me daily. I have done a poor job of showing my feelings for her. You only vowed not to pursue her; the rules don’t matter since she is the one who leaped first. If there is one thing I love, it’s a loophole.
She sucks in a sharp breath as if the words surprised her. Tears are in her eyes once more when her eyes meet mine. “I’ve never been someone’s first choice, which makes this more terrifying because you’re everything I have ever wanted. Everything I have ever wanted gets taken from me.”
I pull her close, wanting to hold her as close as possible. The feel of her against me soothes me in a way I cannot describe. My hands run down her hair, over her back, and then back up. After finally pulling back, I hold her face in my hands, needing her to look at me. “I will choose you every time. I’m not a good man, Queen, but my heart beats for you and you alone. You own me. You might not know it, but I’m your monster. I’ll carve anyone’s heart out and drop it at your feet. Being around you is the best part of my day, even when you’re mad at me. As for someone taking me away from you, I would like to see them try. We will carve their hearts out for even trying.” I smile, hoping she can feel the truth of my words.
“So Randall wasn’t because you hated him?” Her eyes get a mischievous twinkle. She is a little minx, and I lean forward and nip her bottom lip.
“Fuck no. I wanted to fillet his skin off and let him die from shock. When he was talking about what he did,” my nostrils flare when his voice enters my head, “I wanted to kill him. Cut off his eyelids and pop his eyes out for even looking at you. Next, I wanted to take his fingers for touching you. The skin would have been next, followed by his dick, which I would place in his mouth, taking his last breaths while choking on it.”
“Is it fucked up that I am getting turned on by this?” Queenie bites her lip and looks at me with heat in her gaze. She is everything. There is no fear in her gaze when she looks at me, even when I say all the fucked up shit that is in my head.
“This is why you’re perfect. Most would run and hide, but not my girl. She gets turned on and wants me more. So blood-thirsty and willing to stand beside me when I am at my worst.” Just looking at her gets my dick hard, but when she is giving me that look I never thought I would be lucky enough to receive, I feel like I have won at life. “Stop that look. We have six hours before we have to be geared up and ready.”
She sighs dramatically. “Fine! Let’s rid the world of the thorn in my side. Along with getting Ace in a better mood, Tess is better than Prozac.” She lies on her pillow before sitting back up and grabbing my hand. Queen doesn’t let it show for long, but for a moment, she looks vulnerable. “You’re staying with me, right?”
She still doesn’t get it; she waved the green flag, and now there is no getting rid of me. I smile and kiss her while I try my hardest not to deepen this kiss. “Of course, I will be right here with you.” She isn’t kidding about putting Ace in a better mood. I take one more look at her before flipping off the light. Crawling up to her and pulling her into my arms, I kiss the top of her head. “I love how you make us sound like the heroes.” No matter what tomorrow brings, I know the lengths I will go to keep her safe. Of course, that is something I cannot say out loud. Though I am looking forward to pissing her off and then fucking her out of her bad mood.
“You’re my hero. When you came to rescue me, as I heard their screams, I knew it was you even before you came into the room.” She cuddles her backside into my front. Her voice gets low as she continues, “I thought you were an angel of vengeance. I thought I was dead until my hand touched your blooded cheek.”
I breathe in the smell of her coconut shampoo, which drives me wild as I whisper into her ear. “Nobody can keep you from me now that you’re mine. I will always come for you. You are what keeps me here; where you go, I will follow.” I nuzzle into the back of her neck and close my eyes. Now I finally understand what this feeling is: love. She is the only one who has ever loved me, and this feeling is dangerous. The lengths I will go to keep her love are endless. “I dare them to try.”
“I’ve always been yours,” she murmurs sleepily into the darkness, which makes me smile before I fall into a dreamless sleep.