“I don’t give a shit. I’ll kill all of them. Your fucking mother. Your brothers. What the fuck? Why didn’t they stop him? Why didn’t anyone help you? What the fuck? Why?”

He was panting. Incoherent. Sweat shining across his forehead and cheeks, and Eden had never loved anyone more. He was clean and bright and sweet and strong. A flexible melody, the notes running fast and pure, one after the other.

“Come here,” she said and threw her arms around his neck. “Lift me up.”

He hoisted her into him, mashing their bodies together. Eden buried her face in his neck and bit him, sucking like she could draw the anger from his body. He let out a low hiss.

“Sorry,” she said, releasing him.

“No, it helps. Do it again.”

Still laughing and crying, she sank her fangs into him again.

“That’s it,” he growled. “Fucking Christ, Eden. I’m so fucking sorry. I’ll kill them. I’ll kill all of them for you.”

Eden’s lips were chapped and her ass was burning but her heart felt like bright, white light. She had torn herself open and he was setting her ablaze. She held him tighter, knowing she could absorb his fury. “It doesn’t matter. It sucks, but it doesn’t matter. I matter. We matter.”

Willow pressed his forehead to hers. “You do matter. And I won’t barge into your house and fuck up David… unless you want me to?”

Eden shook her head. “What I want is for you to be my boyfriend. Properly.”

She hadn’t planned on saying it, but it came out easily and as it did, she knew it was true.

“You don’t need to promise me anything,” he muttered. “Tonight’s been huge. Now isn’t the right time…”

“Now is the perfect time.” She ducked her head and bit him again. Just a little one. He gave another satisfied hiss and she smiled because she’d always loved biting. Another way that they were perfectly suited. He shook out his shoulders like a restless dog and she knew that like a dog, he was ridding himself of excess energy. She sighed. “I like you so much, Sloan Williams.”

“I like you too.”

“So, let’s be together for real until I go on tour?”

Willow leant back and stared at her, his eyes pale in the moonlight. For a heart-stopping moment, Eden thought he’d say no. But then he smiled. “Of course, baby. I’d love to.”

15