Tirone (The Night Skulls MC #2)(26)

“I’ll what? Forgive him? Love him?”

“Yes, Ty.”

I scoffed. “Even if he didn’t do it, even if Mom did what he’s saying she did, do you think I’ll forgive the man who stole my girl away from me?”

She winced, her lips puckering with sorrow. “He didn’t. None of this is his fault. If you want someone to hate and punish, I’m standing right in front of you.”

“Hate you?” I took her shades off and put them in my pocket. Her beautiful eyes that were brighter than the sky were glistening with tears. “You’re the love of my life, Jo.”

She winced again, averting her gaze. “Ty, please, stop.”

I tilted her chin so she’d look at me when I said it. “I’ll never stop loving you, and I’ll say it until I take my last breath. I. Love. You.”

She buried her face into my chest, freeing her tears. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

Closing my eyes, savoring the feeling of her body on mine, her scent that brought me to my knees, her warmth that silenced the darkness and shut the whole world away, I wrapped my arms around her, enveloping her in my embrace, wishing it could have been forever. “It’s okay, my little faerie. There’s nothing we can’t fix together.”

“But I ruined everything. I’m sorry, Ty. I didn’t know what you were doing.”

I kissed the top of her head, holding her tighter. “How could you not know, baby? How could you think I just left you?”

“You know how. You know why. I was feeling so guilty, so ashamed. I thought you realized we were nothing but a mistake. I thought you hated me. I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”

“I want nothing but you, Jo. You’re everything. Everything, baby. How could you feel that way? I didn’t make you feel loved enough?”

“I…I don’t know. But I know it’s not your fault. In a way, it’s what I always thought you were going to feel in the end because it’s how I’m wired to feel about myself, unwanted, unworthy of love.”

“You’re worthy of nothing but love. You’re my little faerie.”

“Ty…”

“Hushh. It’s okay. I’m here now.” I rubbed my nose and cheeks against her head. Then I cradled her face between my hands. Her eyes were puffy and red and wet and so was her nose and cheeks, but she never looked prettier. “I’ll make it up to you, baby. I promise.” I showered her face with little kisses. Then my gaze dipped to her lips as my thumb brushed right above them. Her eyes flickered between mine and my mouth. Breath accelerating, I leaned in and feathered my lips on hers.

She gasped, the softness of her trembling lips sending a tingling in my skin and a twitch into my cock. I pressed my flesh against hers, harder, greedier. A kiss of light. A kiss of darkness. One of an angel. One of a demon.

“No,” she panted, pulling away.

I blinked once. “No?”

“I did make a mistake, thinking you left me. I should have had more faith in our love, but that doesn’t change what happened.”

“It changes everything. How could you… Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me, Jo.”

Her lips quivered, and then she gulped, her breath stuttering out of her chest. “I… I can’t,” she whimpered. “There will always be a part of me that loves you, Tirone. That can’t be undone.”

I grinned, a deluge of emotions flooding me. “See, baby? You don’t love him. You were just angry.”

“Ty, you don’t understand. I’ve fallen in love with Laius. That, too, can never be undone.”

“No.” I shook my head violently. “You only think you do because I threw you into his arms when I left. The biggest mistake of my life.” My fists clenched and unclenched endlessly. “Looking back, I should have never gone. I should have done what they’d asked me to do. We could have fooled them, and I could have bought us some time to come up with a better plan to protect you.”

She pursed her lips. “I wish you had, but what’s done is done.”

“No,” I snarled. “I’m not giving up. It’s why I’m back here. That’s why I’m a Night Skull now, to learn their ways, to know how to deal with the mob, to know how to play their fucking game, to be the man you need, the man that can truly protect you.”

“We can’t do this. Not anymore. Maybe if he were someone else, but he’s your father.” She bit her lip, her face contorting as if she was going to cry again. “You have to let me go.”

“Shut up, Jo.”

“You’re young. Your whole life is ahead of you. You’ll meet a hundred beautiful girls, and you’ll fall in love with someone who’s right for you.”

I banged my knuckles against the tree behind her. “Don’t say that shit.” I slammed the other fist, too. “Fuck.”

“Ty, just calm down. Please.”

“I don’t think you understand, Jo.” I held her waist and backed her against the tree, my stare glued to hers. “I want no one but you. You’re the only one for me. Do you hear me?”

“But—”

“No buts.” The demons only she could silence rumbled inside. “I don’t just love you, Jo. I need you. You don’t know how much power you have over me. Only you have the power to make me happy, to make my world run right or destroy me and the world around me.”