Second Debt (Indebted #3)(66)

The unmistakable vulnerability of such an emotion tore open my heart.

The cuts on my feet bellowed as I dug my toes into the silty bottom and rode her harder, giving her my entire length thrust after thrust after thrust.

“Nila—f*ck—”

I jerked. My orgasm shot unrestrained from my balls. It exploded up my cock with such intensity, I folded over her back. “Goddammit,” I groaned, sucking in her hair as savage streams of cum erupted from my tip.

Her inner muscles demanded more, conjuring every last drop of semen I had to give. The release kept going and going, threatening to burst my heart as my body continued to devour hers. Ecstasy sparkled in every cell as I hit the top of her, spurting one last time as deep as I could go.

“Feel that?” I asked, grunting as a final wave stole my ability to breathe. Sweat ran down my temples, drenching my hair. “You’re inside me, Nila Weaver—as surely as I’m inside you.”

“You’re it for me, Jethro. You’ve destroyed me.” Her voice was soft, dreamy.

I bent to kiss her—the sweetest, gentlest kiss. “You’re wrong. You’re the one who’s destroyed me.”

Ending the kiss, Nila just watched me. No words. No questions.

She accepted everything I gave her. She hadn’t looked away while I lost myself in her—she’d given me something I’d never had before. She gave me everything—let me witness how true and steadfast it was.

Trust.

Connection.

No lies.

She f*cking loved me.

She’d given me a new beginning.





“WHEN WILL YOU tell me?”

Jethro’s step faltered, his eyes shooting to mine.

His naked torso was damp and flushed with heat from the cave-springs, a white towel riding low on his hips.

He’d offered to carry me, but I’d chosen to walk—even though I was just as naked with only a towel hiding my modesty.

I was alive.

The sooner my body remembered how to move, the better.

Even though hate had killed me, love had revived me.

Jethro had salvaged me and brought me back.

He’d done more than bring me back.

He’d given me a new home—inside him.

I’m alive because of him.

The Second Debt had taken everything from me.

But Jethro had given it back a hundred fold.

We ghosted to a stop outside my bedroom door. Jethro was the perfect suitor, walking me home after the strangest day of all. His hand came up to cup my cheek, a sigh escaping his lips. “I will tell you, but it’s not a simple matter of blurting it out.”

I turned my head and kissed his palm, never breaking eye contact. “Whatever it is, I’ll understand.”

He smiled sadly. “That’s the thing; you probably won’t. To tell you what I am means I’ll have to tell you everything. About the debts, the reasoning, my role.” He hung his head. “It’s a lot.”

I shuffled closer, wrapping my arms around his warm body. “Tomorrow. Meet me after breakfast and take me somewhere far from here. Tell me then.”

His nostrils flared. “You want to go off the grounds? Away from Hawksridge?”

The thought excited me. I didn’t want to go back to London or seek out my old life—not anymore, but it would be nice to go somewhere just the two of us.

A date.

“You can trust me, Jethro. You know that. I wouldn’t run if you took me somewhere public.”

A painful shadow crossed his face. “I know you wouldn’t. And that’s what f*cking kills me.”

My heart stuttered. “Why?”

He slouched, pushing me against my door so my back kissed the wood and his lips kissed mine. The kiss was fleeting and soft, but the emotion behind it squeezed my chest with an agonising weight.

I didn’t know what the weight was. But the pressure built and built with words dying to leap free.

I.

Love.

You.

After what had just happened between us, it was all I could think about. I wanted to scream them. Blare them. Let him know that my caring for him wasn’t conditional or cruel.

I loved him. For him. For his soul.

His lips skated over mine again—the sweetest connection.

“Jethro,” I breathed. “I—I lo—”

He froze, slamming his fingers over my mouth. “Don’t say it.” Dropping his touch, he shook his head. “Don’t say it. Please, Nila.”

“But why shouldn’t I…when it’s the truth.” The weight on my heart grew deeper, stronger. I had no choice but to tell him. The words physically suffocated me, needing to be said. “You mean everything to me.” Placing my hand over his heart, I whispered. “Kite…I’m in love with you. It doesn’t come with conditions or commands. I can’t hate you for what you did today or what you might do in the future. I’m scared and lost and absolutely terrified that I’m doing the wrong thing by choosing you over my own life—but…I have no choice.”

He sucked in the sharpest breath. “You called me Kite.”

My heart bottomed out.

His name bulldozed through the partition I’d managed to keep in place. My feelings toward Kite plaited with my feelings for Jethro.