She shuffled back, and I wanted to shake an answer from her because my sanity, everything I was, hinged on what fell from those luscious lips.

Lips still damp from my cum.

Fuck, she was the distraction from hell.

“That’s not what I meant.”

My heart plopped somewhere in my gut. “What do you mean, then?”

She retreated. I advanced. We’d been perfecting this dance for ages, it seemed.

“I don’t wanna see anyone else hurt.”

“Even Zach?”

She licked her lips then sucked her lower one between her teeth.

“Answer me,” I snapped, my attention captured by her mouth and thoughts of what it did to me.

“Even him.”

“After everything that piece of shit has done, why would you want me to spare him?”

“It’s not about him, Rafe. God! It’s about you! You’re better than this. You’re not a fucking murderer.”

“I killed Perrone,” I pointed out.

A hint of uncertainty washed over her face. “Self-defense, no doubt.”

She had no fucking clue. I’d scorched her ass with ginger. Allowed another man to beat her. I’d fucked her in the ass against her wishes, yet she still didn’t see what stood right in front of her.

“I’m a monster, Alex. I choked Jax’s uncle in prison. I hunted Brock down and choked him to death too. Still think I’m better than this?”

She jerked her head back and forth, eyes wide. Disbelieving. She backed up another step and stumbled into the wall.

“I know who you are in here,” she said, placing a trembling hand over her heart. “Your capacity to forgive tells me all I need to know about you. I don’t know what road you’ve been down these past few months, but this is not you.” She was clinging to denial of epic proportions.

“It is me, babe.” I launched myself at her, caging her in, giving off an intimidating vibe even she couldn’t deny. “I want to kill him.” I grabbed her chin and lowered my face to hers, and our lips nearly met. “It kills me that you don’t want it too. He deserves nothing less than death.”

She swallowed hard. “We all deserve things, Rafe.”

“What would you have me do then, huh? Let the fucker kill me and take off with you?”

Her eyes widened, then something I couldn’t name passed over her features. “A decision,” she muttered. “I choose you. Always. Do what you have to do, but don’t you dare forget who you are.” She slid her palm up my abs and stalled at my galloping heartbeat. “Don’t forget who you are in here. You’re the love of my life, Rafe. The guy I’ve been head over heels for since before I knew what love was.”