Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(166)

He gets my clothes from the back of the sofa and crouches back in front of me. ‘I’m taking you home.’ He opens my jeans at my feet, taps my ankle and I lift, repeating on the other before he helps me up and pulls my jeans up my legs.

He looks from the t-shirt, to my exposed breasts, and then to me with a slight frown. The thought of anything resting on my skin makes me want to vomit again, but I can’t be walking out of here and into Lusso naked from the waist up.

‘Can we try?’ He stretches the neck of my t-shirt and pulls my dangling bra from my arms before easing it over my head.

I start lifting my arms to accommodate Jesse’s hold on the t-shirt, but tears start to stab at my eyes with the effort and painful stings. I shake my head frantically. It’s going to hurt too much.

‘Ava, I don’t know what to do.’ He holds the t-shirt away from my body. ‘I can’t let you walk out there with nothing on.’ He bends down and looks at me. ‘Please, don’t cry.’ He kisses my forehead as tears stream down my face. ‘Oh, f*ck it!’ He pulls the t-shirt back over my head and throws it on the sofa. ‘Come here.’ He bends and curls his arm under my bum and lifts me up with one arm. ‘Wrap your legs around my waist, arms around my neck. Be careful.’ I do as I’m told slowly and carefully. ‘Are you okay?’ he asks.

I nod into his shoulder and link my ankles around the small of his back. I feel him pull my hair over my shoulder and rest his palm on the nape of my neck, holding me as tight as he can without inflicting further pain. My boobs are squished to his chest, my back completely exposed, but I couldn’t care less. He strides to the door and releases my neck to open it, before replacing his hand securely at my nape.

‘Okay, baby?’ he asks, walking down the corridor into the summer room. I nod into his neck. I’m far from okay. I feel like I’ve been lying directly on the sun, all of my skin burnt away, exposing raw flesh. ‘John!’ he yells. There’s a succession on shocked gasps, all sounding more shocked than when I was carried in.

‘How’s the girl?’ John’s low voice is close by.

‘How does she f*cking look? Get a cotton sheet from the cleaning quarters.’

John doesn’t retaliate to Jesse’s shortness.

‘Jesse, is there anything I can do?’

I hear a female’s voice full of alarm and her heels clicking on the floor of the summer room as she tries to keep up with Jesse.

‘No, Natasha.’ he replies harshly. I can’t even muster up the strength to raise my head and throw her a filthy look. Is there anything she can do? What? Like f*ck him again?

‘Ava?’ Kate’s fretting tone assaults my ears. ‘Oh, f*cking hell. What have you done, you stupid cow!’

‘I’m taking her home.’ Jesse is not stopping for anyone, not even Kate. ‘She’s fine, I’ll call you.’

‘Jesse, she’s bleeding!’

‘I know, Kate. I f*cking know!’ I feel his chest rise under me. ‘I’ll call you.’ he appeases her, and I don’t hear her again, but I do hear Sam soothing her, his usual chirpy voice layered with concern.

I know we’re getting close to the entrance hall because the cool air starts to slowly spread across my back. It’s a welcome sensation.

‘Jesse, mate, I didn’t know.’

Jesse halts abruptly and silence falls, all concerned chatter coming to a complete halt as I hear Steve’s voice drift into my ears. I squeeze Jesse’s body with what little strength I can find, and he nuzzles my neck.

‘Steve, you want to be thanking all that’s f*cking holy I’ve got my girl in my arms, because if I didn’t, the cleaners would be scooping up your remains for a f*cking year.’ Jesse’s voice is acidic, his heart pounding wildly.

‘I….I…’ Steve stammers and stutters over his words. ‘I didn’t know.’

‘No one told you she was mine?’ Jesse asks, clearly shocked.

‘I…I assumed…I...’

‘She’s MINE!’ Jesse roars, jolting me in his arms. I whimper from the flash of searing pain that his movement instigates and he tenses, pushing his face into the crook of my neck. ‘I’m sorry.’ he whispers. I feel his jaw ticking against me. ‘You’re a f*cking dead man, Steve.’ He stands still for a few moments and I know he’s glaring at Steve with murder carved all over his face. I feel responsible.

‘Jesse?’ John’s rumble breaks the screaming silence. ‘S’all good. Priorities, yeah?’

‘Yeah.’ Jesse picks up his feet again and the slow building cool air is suddenly sharp and pelting at my back. He walks slowly down the steps.

‘I’ll get the door.’ Kate’s says as her heels clatter down the steps.

‘I’ve got it, Kate.’

‘Jesse, stop being such a pigheaded twat and accept the f*cking help! You are not the only one who cares about her.’

I’m squeezed against him. ‘My keys are in my back pocket.’

Kate’s hand brushes over my jeans as she negotiates the keys out of Jesse’s pocket, and I smile on the inside at my fiery friend living up to her reputation. My eyes open and catch Kate’s.

‘Oh, Ava.’ She shakes her head and bleeps Jesse’s car open.