And she made me believe that we did have forever.

I'm love struck, enraptured with the sensual, lustful way her body takes ownership of mine. I can't move. I don't want to move. No woman has ever taken me before. Not like this - not so completely, so honestly, with such raw and uninhibited desire and passion. No woman has ever wanted me this way or made me feel so utterly and completely adored. And within that she has given herself to me just as completely. She holds back nothing and gives everything.

This is what I have been wanting and waiting for so long. This indescribable connection.

My hands tighten around her waist, more to remind myself that's she's real than any other reason. Everything else begins to fade away. The doubts. The black cloud hanging over us.

No way in fucking hell am I ever letting this go. I'm never letting her go.

Her soft moans drag my gaze up her body to rest on her beautiful face, her eyes fluttering open at that same moment to meet mine, and her lips curve into the smile that changed my life so many years ago.

She leans down to kiss me, her breasts swaying, nipples brushing against my chest. She's the sexiest, most loving creature I've ever met in my life. Everything about this girl defies her age and her time on this planet.

A week ago she whispered in my ear that she was born to be mine, and I believe it.

The beeping of her cell phone alarm wakes us both. It's a harsh reminder that she has to go home. She stirs and I hug her tighter to me under the light blanket. Her naked body is so warm and soft, snuggled perfectly against me. Diogee and Kitten have wandered in and are sleeping on the foot of the bed with us.

This is my family now, and I don't like the other half of me leaving every night.

"I have to go, hon," she whispers, kissing my chest.

I groan and loosen my arm from her so she can climb out of bed to find her clothes. The all too familiar knot grows in my chest as I watch her.

"I hate this, Kenzi." I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and pull on my sweatpants.

"I don't like it, either."

"I want you sleeping with me all night and waking up with me. You leaving my bed feels like a booty call."

She pulls on her shirt and makes a face at me. "It's not a booty call, Tor."

"I can't do this forever."

"What are you saying?" Her voice wavers with the first onset of fear. "You want to break up?"

"Absolutely not. I'm saying I want you to live with me so you don't have to leave in the middle of the night."

She stares at me, one leg in her jeans and the other out. "Live with you?"

"Would you want to? If we can get through the wrath of Asher?"

She steps into the other leg of her jeans. "I'd move in tomorrow if I could. Why do you think I'm here so much now?"

"To play with the pets?" I tease.

"Well, they are cute," she replies playfully. "But you're much cuter."

"I'm gonna ignore that. I'm serious, Kenz. As soon as it's possible, I want you to move in with me. Will you think about it?"

She steps into her shoes. "I don't have to think about it. I already know that's what I want."

"I want you to think about it anyway, it's a big decision. And we still have a lot to get through. I just wanted you to know that's what I want."

I walk her to her car and watch her drive down the dark street, then go back to bed to wait for her to send me a text letting me know that she's home. This is definitely a part of our relationship that's driving me crazy because I don't like her having to leave every night. I want us to be able to fall asleep together and stay together in the same bed until morning. Like normal adults do.

When it comes to her and what I want, my patience is getting thin. Now that we're together, I want the freedom to be able to move the relationship forward as we want it to, and it's getting harder and harder to have to wait and hide everything from everyone.

30

Kenzi

Kenzi ~ age eighteen

Tor ~ age thirty-two

"Wait here." He steps out of the truck and shuts the door before I can say anything. He saunters across the dirt parking lot to an old warehouse and bangs on a dented silver door with peeling paint. I'm not quite sure what we're doing here, but I have a bad feeling.

Soon a man opens the door and they begin to talk. Tor is doing a lot of pointing to the other side of the warehouse, and he looks pissed.

Furious, actually.

The man is also getting visibly agitated, shaking his head and yelling. I can't hear what they're saying from where I'm parked, but it definitely doesn't look friendly.

I sit in shocked silence when Tor grabs the man by the throat and literally drags him away from the door to around the side of the building, out of sight.

Shit.

My hand clutches the door handle 'til my knuckles hurt. I want to run out there and see what's going on, but he told me to stay here in his most serious voice. It's the voice he's always used when he expects me to listen, no questions asked.

A few minutes go by and I breathe a sigh of relief when Tor appears from around the corner of the warehouse and is walking towards the truck holding something in his hands that looks like a burlap bag with a chain hanging off it. My blood chills as he gets nearer and I realize he's holding a small dog that isn't supposed to be small. It's severely malnourished.

I jump out of the truck as he nears and run over to him.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Get the door for me."

I run to open the back door of his truck and quickly spread a blanket over the seat, and as he gently lays the dog on it I notice the chain is deeply embedded into the dog’s neck, the flesh raw and ugly, oozing blood and yellow infection.

Bile rises to my throat and I cover my mouth. "Oh my God... "

"Fucking douchebag has had this dog chained to the back of his warehouse, with no food or water for who knows how the fuck long. The chain's been wrapped around his neck for months slowly strangling him."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

He pulls me into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Angel. I should have warned you about this one. Let's go, we have to get him to the vets."

We climb into the front seat and I can't help but peer in the back seat as we pull out of the parking lot. The dog is so weak he can barely move, and his eyes are lifeless, glazed and defeated. Tears roll down my cheeks as I say a silent prayer for him. This is the worst abuse I've ever seen.

"I think he'll be okay," Tor says reassuringly, putting his hand on my leg. "I know it looks nasty as hell, but once they get the chain out and clean it up, get him on some antibiotics, and get some food and water into him, he'll start to slowly recover."

"You really think so? He looks bad, Tor. Really bad."

"I know. But I think he'll pull through. That fucking asshole was warned a year ago when he had another dog chained up back there that another rescue pulled."

"What did you do to him?" I ask. He dragged the guy away by his throat and I didn't see him come back.

His eyes shift up to check the rearview mirror, his jawline clenching. "You don't want to know."

"Tell me."

"I cut the chain to free the dog and then wrapped that end around his fucking neck and left him there, chained to the ground like he had this poor dog."

My heart almost seizes at the ferocity of his voice and actions. Tor can be the sweetest guy in the world, but he's got a ferocious streak when it comes to abuse of an innocent animal. He wants vengeance.

"Don't worry," He says to my gasp. "He won't die. His buddies will find him. I just want to teach that fucker a lesson. He'll never hurt another animal again."

Kenzi

Me: Hey you, how is your morning? I love you xoxox

I switch from my message app to a browser app, then back to my text message app to see if it will refresh, but there's still no reply from Tor, and it's showing as not read. I sent the text almost four hours ago, at eight a.m. We always text each other first thing in the morning, and Tor always replies within an hour.

Always.

Even before we were dating, he would always quickly reply to my messages.

I wander through the mall, trying to remember where all the stores I like are in what seems more like a maze than a group of stores. I don't shop often, and when I do, Chloe is usually with me and she steers us around the mall like she was born here. I finally find the lingerie store and pick out some new sexy bra and panty sets that I think will make Tor smile. The price tags practically scare me into next week but the fabric is so rich and soft and accentuates my curves much nicer than anything else I own, so I can't resist buying them.

Next, I find the craft store and load up on paper, ink, and little embellishments like lace, glitter, and gems that I've started to add to the paper of my hand lettered work.

I glance down at my phone again as I wait in line to pay, but there's still no text from Tor.

When I get to the parking lot, I call his cell phone and leave him a voice mail:

"Hey, honey, where are you? I'm getting a little worried. Call me when you can. I love you."

I send another text, hoping I'm not being annoying as hell, but I'm worried.

Me: Are you okay? I just bought some lingerie I think you'll like. ;-) I love you bunches and I can't wait to see you. xo

I start up my Jeep and my phone rings on the passenger seat next to me just as I'm about to reverse out of my parking spot.

Finally!

I grab the phone with a big smile on my face.

"Hey hon, I've been missing you all morning."

"Kenzi?"

"Dad?"

Crap.

"Who did you think I was?"

Shit.

"Chloe."

"Oh. Where are you?"

"In the mall parking lot. I needed a few things."

He's silent for a beat. "I don't want you to panic, okay?"