Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
She goes quiet for a moment, stepping into the shower and letting the warm water wash the blood away. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like anything about him,” she says. “But I’m starting to wonder if maybe I have some undiscovered kinks that I’m only just starting to realize. I’m not really sure, but there’s something about the fear that excites me.”
She falls silent as she gently rubs at her ribs, trying to clean herself up, but the crease in her brows tells me she’s still deep in thought. “The first time he touched me, his hand was around my throat. He was choking me as I came, and it somehow got me there faster. There was an urgency. I knew the longer it took me, the longer it would be until I could breathe. But then today, it was different. When the blade was digging into my skin, it hurt, but the way he was touching me, it was as though he was taking the pain away, and I could just focus on the pleasure. It felt wrong, but my body liked it.”
I nod. “Is that all that happened? He just made you come and then left like he did in your bedroom. Or is this more a repeat of what happened in the club?”
She cringes and my gut twists with jealousy.
It’s one thing to know another man has been fucking my girl, but to know how much her body responds to it absolutely guts me. “Like the club,” she admits, barely able to meet my stare. “But it was different. He just took what he needed and then left, and yes, while I did come, it wasn’t the same as when I’m with you. You make me feel things. You make my whole body come alive and leave me trembling for hours afterward. You and me, it’s give and take, but with him, it’s all take. It’s about satisfying a raw need, and he’ll take it any way he has to in order to get what he wants. It’s transactional and empty. There was nothing . . . more about it.”
I step right into the open shower door, my brow arched. “More?” I ask, gripping the shower frame above my head.
Harper grins and nods. “So much more.”
I step right into the shower, clothes and all, and Harper laughs, swatting at my chest. “What are you doing?” she screeches as I grab her waist and pull her into me. “You’re getting all wet.”
My lips drop straight down onto hers, and if it were any other day, I’d be grabbing her ass and lifting her right into my arms, showing her just how much more I can offer her, but I want to give her a minute after everything she’s endured today.
When she pulls back, she drops her face against my chest, letting me hold her as the hot water rains down over us. “You should run while you still can,” she tells me, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m like a landmine. Sooner or later, you’re going to step on me, and I’ll explode into a million pieces, taking you down with me.”
My hand roams over her back, wishing things could be different. “If you were to burst into flames, I’ll be right there stepping into the fire with you. If you’re burning, doll, I’m going to burn right along with you.”
Her body sags against mine, and I hold her for a moment before sensing that she needs a little time alone with her thoughts. “I’ll give you a minute,” I tell her. “But the second you’re out of this shower, I’m bandaging your ribs.”
“Oop. And here I thought the bossy asshat had taken an extended vacation.”
“Looks like he came home early.”
Harper smirks and rolls her eyes, and I step out of the shower, dripping everywhere. Then after ridding myself of my wet clothes and drying off, I make my way into my closet to find a fresh change of clothes and grab another shirt for Harper. As I pull the T-shirt from the hanger, I realize that I’m going to eventually run out of these bastards.
Once I’m dressed, I step back into the bedroom and look over the mess left behind.
“You said he tied you with rope, right?” I call out.
“Yeah. On my ankles and wrists,” she says over the shower.
I nod to myself and make my way around the bed, gripping the edge of the bloodied sheets and pulling them back. I have no idea how the top blanket ended up in ribbons. There’s no sign of the rope, and it leaves me wondering if perhaps she’s confused.
I finish pulling back the blankets and toss them into the corner of the room before finding the discarded kitchen knife on the ground. It makes me sick looking at it, and as I pick it up and sit on the edge of the bed, I can’t stop staring at it.