He pulled away slightly. His hand lifted, fingers brushing along my jaw before trailing to the side of my face as he looked at me intently.
Gods. Those eyes.
Still dark with anger but burning with something else… Something that always burns when he looks at me.
It always takes everything in me to hold Alaric's gaze.
"I love you, Jasmine," he muttered like it was a truth carved into his bones. A fact that would never change. "I love you more than life itself."
I didn't say anything. I just looked at him.
And he didn't seem to expect me to say it back.
He just pulled me closer, lowering his head until his lips met mine.
The kiss was deep. Slow. Like he was trying to drag something out of me.
I kissed him back half-heartedly, not wanting this to go beyond the kiss. Not with what he had just done to that poor girl.
He pulled back just enough to murmur against my lips, "Why are you holding back?" His fingers traced my spine.
"Is this a punishment for what I did to June?"
