My Ex Sold Me for His Debts, Then My Brother's Enemy Claimed Me novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: First Night

Bram took Dean away in the back of the truck, with a chain on his good wrist that was not silver.

Costa and I went to the old mill alone.

It was a ruin on the south road, with half a roof and a wheel that had not turned in thirty years.

Nobody was there.

On a broken table in the middle of the floor sat a small velvet box.

Inside it was my mother's ring.

I knew it at once.

It was thin gold with a green stone.

Inside the band was a scratch where I had chewed it as a baby.

I had seen it on her hand in the one photograph I owned.

"It was never in the safe," I said.

"Willa."

"My brother told me it was. He told me for twelve years."

Under the box lay a slip of paper, in Odette's neat hand.

Ask Rooke about the river.

Costa read it over my shoulder.

He said nothing for a long time.

"I'm not asking tonight," I said.

"You should."

"I know I should." I closed my hand around the ring.

"I've been lied to by everyone I trusted for a week, and by my brother for twelve years."

"Tonight I want one thing that's true."

"Which is?"

I turned around.

"You," I said. "Right now. That's true."

He didn't move.

"You said you'd stop. On the porch."

"I said I'd stop until I knew what I'd be doing to you."

"And now?"

"Now I know exactly what I'm doing," I said. "I'm saying yes, Costa. I'm not asking you to say it back."

The mill was cold and the wind came through the roof.

He crossed the floor in three strides and took my face in both hands.

"Say it again."

"Yes."

He kissed me.

It was not like the porch.

It was slower, and it went on, his mouth opening mine and his tongue sliding against my tongue.

My knees went, and he caught me with an arm behind my back.

I got my hands under his shirt.

His skin was burning hot and hard under my palms.

A shudder went through him when I dragged my nails down his stomach.

"Not here," he said against my mouth. "Not on the floor of a ruin."

"I don't care where."

"I do."

He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he carried me out to the truck.

← Chapter 10 · All chapters · Chapter 12 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend