Mine to Take (18 page)

She didn’t speak while Reese drove. Too much emotion had built within her.

When they got to the hotel, they were immediately ushered up to their suite.

It was both familiar and foreign to her.

She walked to the window. Gazed down at the busy street.

Trace’s hands curled around her shoulders. “Tell me what I can do. Tell me what I need to do so that you can forget.”

His voice was ragged, rough, and when he turned her toward him, she saw that his mask had fallen away.

They were alone, and she was seeing him as he truly was.

Fear and anger were in his eyes. So much fear.

He wanted her to forget, but she couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

She’d never forget the days of darkness and hunger. Fear. 
Terror.

But the starvation hadn’t broken her.

Mitch hadn’t broken her.

The thought of Trace, dying—
that broke me.

He was the one thing that could destroy her.  “I want you to love me,” she told him, her voice breaking.

His mouth found hers. Trace kissed her hard and deep and she could taste his desire. “I do,” he said against her lips. “I always have.”

When she kissed him, she tasted the salt of her tears.  She never wanted to think of a world without Trace. “I want you to be mine.” She needed that, needed him, and the force of that need scared her.

He slid to his knees before her.

Trace…he never bowed before anyone. He—

He pulled a discrete white box from his pocket. Opened it. The diamond blazed up at her. “And I want you to be mine. Tell me that you will be, Skye. Always.”

“Always,” she said as a smile curved her lips. The first smile she’d had since coming out of the darkness.

He slid the ring on her hand, but he didn’t rise.  He stared up at her.  “You’ve been the only thing that mattered to me since I was seventeen years old.”

The ring fit her perfectly.  So bright, the diamond sparkled.

 A light, after the darkness.

“I don’t ever want to be without you again,” Trace told her. “Never.”

Since he wouldn’t rise for her, Skye sank down on the lush carpet with him.  Her hands lifted and curled around his neck.  “I’ve loved you since I was fifteen.”  So simple and true. “And I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

They had years ahead of them.  Time to laugh and fight. To have a family.  To watch their children grow.

Time to just be together.

They didn’t need to think about death or fear.

Hope.

Trace had brought it back to her.

She’d fight like hell to make sure that she never lost it—or him—again. She wasn’t going to be someone’s victim. She’d fought the monster. They both had. They’d won.

We deserve our happiness.

Skye kissed him. His arms pulled her close. Held her against his heart.

They deserved happiness, and they’d damn well take it.

This day.

And every day that came in the future. They’d survived, and now, it was their turn to be happy.

Forever.

###

Thank you for taking the time to read MINE TO TAKE. I hope that you enjoyed the story.  If you would like to learn more about my work, please visit
www.cynthiaeden.com
.

E-book only titles

• BOUND IN DEATH
  
• BLEED FOR ME
  
• FOREVER BOUND (A Vampire & Werewolf Romance Anthology that includes the following titles: BOUND BY BLOOD, BOUND IN DARKESSS, BOUND IN SIN and BOUND BY THE NIGHT)
  

Please note: All of the BOUND stories are also available separately:

• BOUND BY BLOOD
  
• BOUND IN DARKNESS
  
• BOUND IN SIN
  
• BOUND BY THE NIGHT
  

List of Cynthia Eden's romantic suspense titles:

• DIE FOR ME
  
• DEADLY FEAR
  
• DEADLY HEAT
  
• DEADLY LIES
  
• ALPHA ONE
  
• GUARDIAN RANGER
  

List of Cynthia Eden's paranormal romance titles:

• THE WOLF WITHIN
  
• HOWL FOR IT
  
• ANGEL OF DARKNESS (Fallen, Book 1)
  
• ANGEL BETRAYED (Fallen, Book 2)
  
• ANGEL IN CHAINS (Fallen, Book 3)
  
• AVENGING ANGEL (Fallen, Book 4)
  
• NEVER CRY WOLF
  
• ETERNAL HUNTER (Night Watch, Book 1)
  
• I'LL BE SLAYING YOU (Night Watch, Book 2)
  
• ETERNAL FLAME (Night Watch, Book 3)
  
• HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT (Midnight, Book 1)
  
• MIDNIGHT SINS (Midnight, Book 2)
  
• MIDNIGHT'S MASTER (Midnight, Book 3)
  
• IMMORTAL DANGER
  
• WHEN HE WAS BAD (anthology)
  
• EVERLASTING BAD BOYS (anthology)
  
• BELONG TO THE NIGHT (anthology)
  

USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. More information about Cynthia and her books may be found at:
www.cynthiaeden.com
or on her Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/cynthiaedenfanpage
. Cynthia is also on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden
.