Thorne touched his lips to hers. A river of emotions swept over her, and before she could stop herself, words were escaping her lips like a murmuration of starlings sent into flight.
“I love you . . . I love you . . .”
His lazy, seductive smile was full of leonine confidence. “I know.”
“You do?”
“We are mates. Of course you love me.” His easy confidence behind that statement felt oddly right. Of course she loved him. How could she not? She had been silly to think she ever could have denied that. But she had been afraid to let herself love him for so many reasons. Now it was too late. She was all in when it came to Thorne. Even if it got messy or painful, she was his to the end.
“Kiss me.”
His chuckle turned into a growl as he pinned her against the wall and did just that. He kissed h
