He grabbed my hip securely. “And no one ever will! And do you know why?”
I bobbed my head. “Because I’m yours.” My lashes fluttered and I bit into my bottom lip, hoping he heard the sincerity in my words. Kairus’s trauma from his childhood impacted so much in his adult life. I hoped my return would start to heal it.
“You won’t lose me and no one will take me from you.”
“Fine,” he grumbled, making me smile wider. “If school is what you want, then so be it.”
“And keeping track of my every move?” His jaw clenched.
“We’ll see,” he gritted.
I shook my head, knowing the conversation would come back up later. “And the last thing, how do you always know where I am? I know you’re busy so did you have someone following me? And tell me the truth!”
This time a crooked grin split his face. I narrowed my eyes at him.
His hand went to my right wrist and he brushed his thumb over it. “Remember when you cut your wrist punching the mirror?”
I nodded slowly. “When I had the doctor sew you up, I may have had him implant a tracker inside you.”
My eyes widened. “You what?!”
His body stiffened and a bored look appeared on his face. “It had to be done. If you tried to run away I needed to know where you went.”
“But I didn’t! Why didn’t you say something once we got closer?”
“Knowing your every move was necessary. I enjoyed being able to locate you whenever I wanted.”
My mouth dropped. I couldn’t believe he would go this far. It was one thing to tattoo me without my permission, but to put a tracker in me like I was a dog was too far.
“Okay.” I moved away from him. He frowned when his hand fell from my body. “The first thing we’re gonna do is get this thing out of me. That’s not normal or okay, Kairus. If you want to know where I am, all you have to do is ask. I have nothing to hide from you. I came back here because Iwantto be here. When I left I told you if you would have asked me then I would have chosen you.” My eyes softened and my teeth scraped over my bottom lip. My hand lifted and brushed over his rugged skin. “This is me choosing you, Kairus, but we have to do this the right way.
“You said you didn’t like the feelings I brought you because they made you weak, but that’s not true. You’re one of the strongest people I know. A lot of people see the flaws in you but not me, I see potential and strength. I might not agree with how you handle business but I can overlook that because I see the man you are behind all the crudeness. You turned my life upside down from the moment you took me, but in the end it turned into the best thing that could have happened to me. Don’t let your past continue to dictate your present, Kairus. You’re stronger than what your dad beat into you. I just wish you could see that.”
I stroked his cheek, noting he was in need of a shave.
Kairus reached for my wrist again. “Your father won’t approve of me.”
“I don’t care,” I rushed out.
“You can’t try to leave if he protests because I won’t let you go easily.”
I shook my head with a small smile. “My parents know I’m here. I told them I want to be with you.” It was brief but I saw the shock pass through his face.
“And I won’t turn into some Prince Charming. I’m violent, possessive, obsessive, and dangerous.”
I swallowed, still not afraid. “I know all that,” I whispered. “It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me?”
Suddenly, my mouth grew dry. My heart hammered against my ribcage. I was nervous to confess my feelings because I didn’t know how Kairus would accept them. The way he was raised, without love and care, made it hard to connect with him most of the time, still I tried. I wanted to shower him with love and show him he was bigger than his past.
Inhaling a deep breath, I made sure to stare him in the eyes so he could feel how real my words were.
“I love you, Kairus,” I admitted for the first time out loud. The day we danced at the symphony was the day I knew for sure I had fallen in love with him.
A wave of emotions passed over his face. His eyes became wild.
I was caught off guard when he yanked me into his hard body and pressed a hard kiss onto my mouth.
