“Mmm!” I whine, swiping my mouth after I take a sip of alcohol. “So Valentina staked her claim on you, since you’re owned now?”
The room falls silent, all that’s filling the space is the music from outside. When Nate doesn’t answer me, I bring my eyes to his. My stomach flips at the way he’s looking at me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
I don’t want to admit that I want to know what happened when he and Bishop stayed behind, because that would show I care.
He props one knee up and rests his elbow on it, leaning his head back against the wall. He smirks. “You think I fucked Valentina when I stayed behind in Perdita…”
“—Okay,” I hear Eli mutter from somewhere in the room. “I’m going to get pussy. Mommy and Daddy are fighting again.”
“I don’t even care,” I answer with a level voice.
Nate reaches out and grabs my hand, tugging me forward. I end up on my knees in front of him as he looks up at me from sitting on the ground. His hand drifts up my cardigan and then he yanks me down so I’m face-to-face with him.
“Liar.”
I search his eyes. “Does it matter?”
He chuckles. “Not fucking really.”
I shove at his chest, pushing off him. “I don’t even know why I bothered.” He doesn’t let me move so I shove harder until I’m back on my feet. I find Bishop. “You need to get in contact with Madison.” Then I look at Brantley. “Thank you, Bran Bran. It’s been fun.”
Brantley’s eyes shift to Nate desperately.
“I feel so much fucking better now that everything is deciphered. Only took a few murders, some hot sex, and losing my best friend, daughter, the man I fucking love, but whatever. Sayonara, bitches.” I throw up deuces and turn, bearing straight for the front door. I need to run. One-thousand miles and clear my head.
“There’s one little issue with your big dramatic exit, baby…” Nate murmur-slurs from behind me. Khalid’s “OTW” thuds through the speakers.
I freeze, my fingers on the door handle. Slowly, I turn back around to face him, finding him a few steps in front of me.
“And what’s that?” I ask, tilting my head.
“Just before you walked your little ass up in here, I made a promise to myself.”
“Oh, you did, huh?” I humor him. “What was that promise?”
I’m tired and drained. I just want to finally mourn losing him. Losing him. I’ve never had to do it because we’ve always lingered together.
“Yeah.” He smirks, taking a tentative step.
I step back.
He counters that by coming further.
My back slams against the door.
His hands fly up to either side of my head, his head dipping down to mine. He runs his nose tip over mine. “I promised myself that I’d let you go—until you walked your ass back into a house that I’m in, then I’m not letting you go. Ever.”
I roll my eyes, shoving his hard chest, but he doesn’t move. “Stop being ridiculous. I’m tired of the games.”
His eyes narrow, then drop to my lips. “Not a game, baby. Gamechanger.” He comes closer, his body pressing against mine and leans down, his lips floating across my ear. “I’ll lock you in my room if I have to. You’re not leaving me this time, or ever again.”
I swallow. “I can’t do this, Nate.” I can feel all the emotions and feelings I have for him roaring to the surface. “I can’t continue to love someone who isn’t manufactured to love back. I can’t fucking compete with other girls when it comes to your affection, and I can’t fucking handle not having all of you!”
He slams me up against the door, his hands coming to my thighs. He lifts me off the floor and out of instinct, I wrap my legs around his lean waist. One hand rests on the front of my throat as his thumb caresses my collarbone. His other is wrapped around my lower back.
“One, you’ve never competed with any fucking girl. It’s always been you and it makes me fucking testy hearing you say shit like that so I would advise that be the last time those words spill out from those lips, or I’ll feel obliged to shove something else between them. Two, there is one person on this earth who gets all of me, Tillie. One fucking girl. And it’s not the dispensable hos that have bounced on my dick. It’s the one that fucking stole my heart, and lastly.” He smirks, his lips brushing softly against mine. “I must have malfunctioned along the way somewhere, because I fucking love you.”
I search his eyes when the first tear slips from the corner of mine. My heart feels like it’s beating to a different tune now.
“What?”
He kisses me softly, his lips brushing against mine. I open my mouth to let him in further as his tongue touches mine. My stomach flips and my thighs clench. He loves me.
“Wait!” I stop, pushing at his chest. “You’re drunk!”
He rolls his eyes.
The Kings in the background groan out loud. “For fuck’s sake, Stuprum!” one of them curses.
Nate grins. “I’m not that drunk. Stop being difficult.”
I wrap my fingers around the back of his neck and bring my nose tip to his. “I love you, too, but I have one condition for us going forward. You know, consider it a new trend, if you will. Our girl version of calling red.”
Nate’s eyes narrow, then he starts pressing small kisses over mine. “Anything.”
Between kisses, I smirk. “We’re going to visit the same tattoo artist that Madison and Bishop visited, and I’m claiming what’s mine.”
Nate bursts out laughing, his head tilting back as he lowers me to the ground. He takes my hand and kisses the front.
“Sure thing, baby. So where are you stamping your name?”
“That is not a thing,” Brantley announces, flicking his finger between us.
“It actually is…” I raise my eyebrows
