Free Reaching Retribution (The Prophesized Series) by Kaitlyn Hoyt Page B

testing my boundaries.”
    I sit back and pout. “You’re too much of a gentleman, Colton. It’s annoying sometimes,” I sarcastically tell him.
    Colton gently places his large hands on my cheeks and pulls me toward him. Kissing my forehead, he whispers, “When the time is right, you’ll know. You’ll feel it in here,” he points to my heart, “not in here.” He lightly taps me on the forehead.
    “Isn’t it supposed to be the girl who does the rejecting?” I say as I crawl off of Colton. “Real confidence booster, you are, Colton.” I plop down on the bed next to him and lean back against the pillow. He turns on his stomach and faces me.
    “Ryanne, will you tell me what happened to you while…”
    “While I was dead?” I finish. He nods and moves closer to me—his concern and curiosity obvious in his expression. I bite my lip and watch him. His emotions continue to flow into me. He’s worried that I had to do something that will affect me later on. He wants to protect me and is concerned that I’m going to act out. I sigh and look toward the ceiling, debating on whether or not to tell him everything.
    Lily’s story isn’t mine to tell, so I bypass that and go straight to what he wants to hear. “After helping Lily, I went to my mother’s grave. I cried on her grave and then she made an appearance. She told me that if I wanted to go back, I had to express my feelings. I started to vent to her, but she told me that I wouldn’t get back that way. So I dug deeper. I…”
    Colton moves closer to me and places his hand under my chin and turns my head toward him. He genuinely wants to help. “I admitted that I didn’t feel like I was strong enough to stop this war,” I say.
    “And?” I watch Colton . “I know there is more than that Ry. You can trust me.”
    “I admit ted that I didn’t feel like I was good enough for you,” I whisper. Colton sits up and gawks at me. I push myself up. “I was able to come back by admitting that I thought I could be strong enough someday and that maybe one day I’d be the girl that you need—that I'd be someone worthy of your love.”
    “Ryanne, you’re crazy,” Colton whispers as he pulls me to him. I stare at him. I just admit ted all that, and he calls me crazy? “You’re already strong enough, and you’re way too good for me. Don’t think you’re not good enough for me. Ever.”
    I roll over so that I’m looking up at him. “ I can’t help it. You just too…perfect. A guy like you would never give me the time of day in the real world.”
    “Ryanne, were you not listening when I told you that I want to be stuck with you. I wanted to get to know you before the magic and before all of this happened. I saw you. You may not see it, but you’re perfect, Ry. I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for you. I know that I’m only nineteen, but I’ve never felt as complete as I do with you. Now I feel like I have a purpose in life. I’ m here to make you happy. I want to wake up every morning and see your beautiful face. I want to wipe the tears from your eyes and beat the crap out of the person that made you cry.” I scoff as he continues. “I want to keep you safe and always cherish you. I want you to know that my love for you is true. If I have to spend my whole life trying to prove that to you, I will, because you’re worth forever. Ryanne, you wouldn’t be my soulmate if we weren’t perfect for one another. You’re literally my perfect match, and I’m yours. You need to get that through that beautiful, thick skull of yours,” he says as he taps me on the nose.
    I stare up in to his green eyes—the same eyes looking down at me, waiting for me to speak. I lean forward and gently kiss him. Nothing I can say will top what he just said, so I pour all my love into this kiss, hoping he’ll understand. I can’t tell him that I’ll change right away. Someday, I’ll be good enough; today is not that day. Colton wraps his arms around my waist