“My little doll takes me so well. You were fucking made for me,” he moans, kissing me deeply as he’s buried deep inside me.
He brings me pleasure unlike no other. “Grey,” I moan.
“I love the way you moan my name. Every inch of you is mine, as I am yours. Remember that when life feels tough,” he says into my ear, and I shudder at both the cold and the pleasure rippling through me.
His hand finds my clit, circling it with precision, causing another orgasm to build like a crescendo. He bends his knees more, getting into a better angle, and I soak him in. Soon enough, his movements become harder, sloppier, as he kisses me like there’s tomorrow.
“Come with me,” he whispers, and I do—oh, do I fucking do as we together fall over the brink of death.
His muscles tighten and his spine goes rigid as he fills me completely. He looks at me with a dazed expression before pulling me into a deep, consuming kiss.
“I know you feel horrible after everything that has happened. I do too,” he starts, making sure I’m listening to his every word. “It takes a monster to destroy a monster. And you, my love, have ruined me. I fucking love every inch of you. You drive me crazy and push me to become a better man.”
I don’t know how to reply as my insides cave from his wondrous words. “I love you too.”
The snow falls at an increasingly faster rate, now covering the treetops as well as the ground. It’s only now that the adrenaline from the moment catches up with me, and my body trembles from the coldness washing over me. Grey lifts me in his arms, heading toward the cottage as the morning sun grows brighter with the day. The crunch of snow under his shoes fills my earsand forms a harmonious melody I haven’t heard in what feels like years. I take three deep breaths to calm myself—another strategy Camila taught me.
“Don’t go out alone again,” he grumbles in my ear, his voice laced with poignant concern.
“It felt too suffocating to stay inside.”
“At least write a note next time. You had me worried as fuck,” he says, making sure I notice the seriousness in his expression.
A slight wave of guilt fills me, knowing how much he has suffered too. It probably scared the shit out of him when he saw I wasn’t with him. We’ve already lost each other before.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him truthfully, not able to meet his gaze.
We’ve endured horrors I can’t even begin to process, and I don’t know how we will ever be able to recover from it all—not even with therapy—but fuck if I won’t at least fight for us.
Even if it takes everything I have.
Chapter 31
Naya
I never thought Iwould see the lights glow so brightly as they do now, their soft glimmer reflecting in the snow outside the cottage. The world has transformed into a winter wonderland, with the snow blanketing the branches of the trees. They are no longer lifeless as they were in autumn when the leaves lay scattered on the ground. Now, they sparkle in the sunlight, renewed by the snow. It’s a beautiful day—perfect for Christmas—but the cold bites at me, so I pull my jacket sleeves down to keep the chill at bay.
Grey is outside, helping Draven chop wood for the fire. I find myself watching as he wipes the sweat from his brow, muscles flexing with each swing of the ax. The rhythm of his movements is almost hypnotic, and for a moment, I’m mesmerized by the serene feeling embracing me.
“Better close your mouth, or you’ll start drooling,” Grey calls, teasing from down the steps ahead and closer to the woods.
I can’t help but roll my eyes, a light feeling settling inside of me instead of that full of anxiety and nightmares. I’ve always hated Christmases—a tradition my father loved that died when he did, even if my grandparents tried to bring the spirit back to life within me. But maybe I can grow fond of it again.
“Arrogant bastard,” I mutter under my breath, and his laughter ripples through me, leaving a trail of tingling heat.
I slip into a pair of slippers left on the terrace, thankfully shielded from the snowfall that blanketed the night. Nightmares kept me unable to sleep, but despite the anxiety weighing on me like a heavy shroud, I feel a flicker of anticipation for what theday might bring.
The snow crunches beneath my feet as I walk toward Grey, leaving a trail of prints behind. Draven is somewhere inside, taking a break, but Grey’s determination remains unwavering. He’s driven to prove himself to Draven and repay the kindness to both him and Everlee, even though we know that will never truly be possible. Still, through our actions, we might come halfway close.
I pause a few steps away, watching as Grey chops the wood with a ferocity I know will take his steam off. When he’s lost in his haunted mind, he thrives on the anger, and the need to hurt something. Out here, he can direct his frustration into the ax’s swing.
“I’m almost done,” he calls out, working the ax.
His shoulders tense beneath the tight-fitting long-sleeved shirt, sweat glistening on his face, which only adds to his rugged allure. Despite his earlier comment, I can’t help but stare and admire him, still mesmerized by the handsome man he has become.
With a final, decisive swing, the ax slices through the woods, sending chips scattering with a loud thud. Draven taught him to chop wood, and Grey’s a fast learner.
He sets the ax aside, and I approach him. Quickly pulling me into his embrace, he breathes me in as he whispers, “Merry Christmas.”
