Cataclysm (Four Horsemen #4)(32)

“Why wouldn’t you kiss me before? Tell me the real reason.”

I stroked her back. If we were ever going to get back to where we were before, I had to be honest with her.

“Do you remember the night you came to me after the twins tried to assault you?”

She nodded.

“You kissed me first, little Scar. I guess I needed you to be the one to do it again… then I’d know you’d forgiven me for everything. That you still felt the same way you did all those years ago. You still saw me as… yours.”

She let out a choking sound before she looked up at me, forcing me to straighten.

“You needed me to be your little warrior?”

I gave her a smile.

“You were always the one who kept us together. You were good at this stuff. I’m not. I don’t know how to be a good… boyfriend to you.”

Being vulnerable wasn’t easy for me, but I was done hiding away from her and my feelings.

She blinked back her tears, letting go of my t-shirt to wrap her arms around my neck instead.

“I don’t think you ever stopped being my boyfriend. We technically never broke up. And you were pretty good at it when we were younger, even if our time got cut horribly short.”

“Was I?”

My girl rose up on her tiptoes and nuzzled my jaw with her lips.

“Yeah, you took care of me, West… always.”

I allowed her to press a kiss to my lips.

“Look, I’m not asking for you to be anything other than who you are now. I happen to like you this way. I won’t lie. Sometimes you scare the shit out of me, but we both know that turns me on. That night you pushed me way past my limits because I asked you? I trusted you implicitly in those moments. You and me… we have something special. I don’t want to lose it or you.”

“I never wanted to lose you.”

She sighed, pressing her face into my neck.

“But you did… the night I fell.”

I nodded, clutching her tighter.

“I’m sorry you suffered all these years without me when I had no idea who you were. I’m here now… and I’m never leaving you again, West. Never. I promise. I’m yours.”

My heart slammed hard against my ribcage. I didn’t think I’d hear those words from her mouth, uttered so freely as if it didn’t cost her anything.

Leaning down, I clasped her thighs and picked her up, carrying her over to my bed. I set her down under the covers and tucked them around her. Scarlett reached for me when I straightened.

“I’m not going anywhere, little Scar. Let me just take this off, okay?”

She settled back against the sheets, watching me as I moved towards my wardrobes and undressed. I walked back over to her and got into bed. She immediately moved closer, tucking herself up in my arms. Scarlett turned her head up towards me and I leant down, capturing her mouth as if it was natural. As if I’d never gone without kissing her all these months since she’d been back.

The simple act was all I needed, no matter how much her body against mine aroused me. Scarlett needed to sleep, not be mauled by me. Funny to think weeks ago, I would have done whatever I wanted with her, but not now. Not when I knew she needed this. Needed me to kiss her and hold her against me whilst she fell asleep.

“This feels like when we were teenagers,” she whispered to me when she pulled away.

“Is that a good thing?”

Her hand slid from my back to my chest.

“It’s like coming home, being in the place I was always meant to, right here in your arms.”

Her eyes clouded over a moment later, making me stiffen.

“Am I still your curse?”

I shook my head.

“You were never a curse, little Scar… you were always my destiny, just as I’m yours.”

“You make it sound like we’re in a world where fated mates exist.”

I snorted, stroking my hand down her back.

“Maybe that’s what the five of us are, even if it’s ridiculous and farfetched.”

“Who knew you, of all people, could be sappy as fuck.”

Leaning closer again, I nuzzled her nose with mine.

“For you, Scar, I’d be anything and everything.”

She grinned, pressing her mouth to mine in a series of kisses, leaving the both of us breathless. Maybe I was being sappy or whatever, but a part of me had always known Scarlett and I were soulmates. I’d just been lucky enough to find her when we were young. Lucky enough to know who I would spend my whole life loving with every inch of my being.

We lay cuddled together in silence for a long while. It had been years since I had this sort of contentment in my life. There was no driving need for violence filling my insides when she was in my arms. Well, perhaps not the type of violence involving death and destruction… sex was an entirely different matter. Scarlett had given me an outlet I didn’t realise I needed until now. The way she craved degradation fed me. Instead of violence with my fists, it was with my words. It didn’t mean I wouldn’t relish killing that cunt Stuart, but I didn’t need to hurt, maim and torture quite so much when she was near me.

The balm to my soul. That’s what you are, little Scar.

I pressed a kiss to her forehead, nuzzling her hair and pulling her tighter against me. She reached up and stroked the scars she’d given me. They were healing nicely. Scarlett had taken care of them, just as she’d promised. Although, whilst she’d been kidnapped, I’d had to do it myself, not that I minded. It was painful as fuck having to pick off my own scabs, but whatever. I could take it. The pain reminded me I was hers.