Concede (The Diamond Empire Book 1) by Kathy Coopmans (bts book recommendations .TXT) 📕

The corners of my mouth wobble, and I fight against breaking down in a violent heap of sobs.

“Dray. Is he alright?” He coughs, and it’s a raspy, rough one. “Damn, that burns all the way to my toes.” Closing his eyes, his face scrunches in discomfort. The man is swimming in it.

“He’s fine. A few stitches and a couple of busted ribs. Oh, God. I have to notify the doctor your awake.” I shakily reach for the call button hooked to the pillow.

“Wait. I love you,” he says, licking his dry lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Slowly he slips his hand out from under mine, then brings his thumb up to my cheek, wiping away the tears before catching my lower lip with his thumb.

“Say my name again. Remind me who you belong to. Remind me who came home to you.” He flashes that arrogant smirk, and it’s so beautiful that my entire body trembles from the power it and his words hold over me.

“You did. I love you, Seth Mitchell.”

EPILOGUE

Seth

Two Months Later

I click the door to what’s officially our home shut behind me. Victoria bought the safe house from Roan a few weeks ago. At first, he refused to take a dime. She put her foot down, told him he was no longer the boss as Aaron officially took over a month ago. Aidan tossed him a dollar, told Victoria it’s a done deal, and she looked at him with tears in her eyes. A heartfelt tribute to how he and Deidre started their lives together.

She signed the papers yesterday.

Home and roots. I never thought I’d find them with the girl who twisted me up at first glance. Have all the time in the world to make up for years lost now.

She can bet her sweet little ass I’ll be doing it.

Treating her right.

Punching in the code to the alarm, I turn around to a sensual look from Victoria. Her dark hair a wind-wiped mess. Eyes no longer full of tears like they were a few hours ago at the cemetery.

So beautiful I want to devour her. I will as soon as I do something I should have done many years ago.

Today is the first time Victoria has gone to visit the graves since the attack. The first she’s looked at her mother’s stone. She did her proud. Nothing fancy. Black with specks of gray. A baker’s hat on Deidre’s side. Nothing but Aidan’s name on his.

I wasn’t all that into going after nearly dying. Reliving that night, I thought I was on my way to the flaming gates all over again. But I’ll do anything to give Victoria the peace she deserves. She’s been through enough heartache and turmoil to last a lifetime, and there’s more to come with the news about Amber we heard the other day. Another story that isn’t mine to tell.

All I know is shit is about to get real fucking ugly.

The void in my chest rumbled with sadness the entire time we were there for Victoria, me, and everyone impacted by two men with a personal vendetta that shouldn’t have been.

They’re gone. Scums of the earth no longer breathing.

We’d have gone sooner if Dray hadn’t told us a few days after I came home from the hospital that a parole date was set for Diesel. The first thing he wanted to do if he were granted early release was to visit the cemetery. Victoria couldn’t have been happier to hear him say that. For her and him. It gave her the last bit of closure she needed. To cling to the one person, she wasn’t able to at the funerals.

So we waited for him. I wasn’t in shape to be going anywhere anyway, and Victoria refused to go without me.

No surprise there. She barely let me out of her sight the entire time I healed. The woman waiting on me hand and foot. She didn’t leave me alone once.

Driving me to the doctor and rehab. Forcing me to push the cart through the grocery store with Dominic, who surprisingly accepted taking on becoming her bodyguard trailing close behind.

Stepping into the shower with me every day until I could stand on my own, running those hands over my body that had me holding off my dick from turning to stone as she washed me. About drove me insane. I might have been hurting, but not being able to fuck her was utter torture.

My cock hurt about as much as my body.

Relief grabbed hold of my balls a few nights ago when she woke me in the middle of the night with her lips wrapped around my shaft. Her telling me she couldn’t wait any longer either. Before I came in her mouth, she climbed on top and rode me hard and fast—her tits bouncing, her hair trussed-up from sleep. I couldn’t help fisting it in my hands, yanking it back so I could feast on those pebbled nipples and the sleek lines of Victoria’s neck.

I’ve fucked her again this morning. I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to Victoria. My angel with dark wings.

“Whatever’s running through that pretty head of yours is going to have to wait until I call Lexi back. She called while we were at the cemetery. You know firsthand I don’t break promises I can’t keep.”

I flash her my smirk to hide behind my lie. Lexi did call except while Victoria stood with her brothers, Theo and Aidan, the five clinging to one another. I went to my truck and called my princess back. Miss that girl like a man gone mad. With me being banged up to hell, I couldn’t have her here to take her skating.

Lane used the school excuse on her. She wasn’t happy at first. Yet when I told her I’d make up for it by taking her and my entire family north to Aidan’s place as soon as summer break hits and she could swim in one of the lakes.