After We Fall (Take the Fall, #3)(45)

My knees begin to shake. “Rub me down with what?”

“Don’t you know?”

I shake my head, completely at a loss. “No.”

Opening the door, he leads me inside. “Let me show you.”





Chapter 15


Hunter


The next morning, I bring Evangeline breakfast in bed. Her eyes are wide as I walk in her bedroom. She looks…shocked.

Son of a bitch.

I want to ask her when the last time was that anyone did something nice for her, but I know the answer—six years ago.

“You cooked for me?” She pushes her hair out of her face, her swollen lips parting. My chest puffs up a little at the sight. I’m the one responsible for her out-of-control hair and bee-stung lips. I’m the one responsible for the love bites on both of her breasts. The sheet falls, putting her pink nipples on display in the morning sun. The glow makes her look like the angel I call her.

Except—I frown—I can see faded bruises and faint white scars on her stomach. The one on her side is no surprise, but the one that looks like a deep cut…that’s pretty f*cking shocking, even to me.

“Belt buckle.”

I jerk my gaze away. “What?”

“AE hit me with a belt buckle.” Her gaze drops, but she doesn’t tug the sheet back up. Instead, she stands while I become immobile. “You might as well get a good look at me.”

“I don’t care.”

“But I do.”

Setting the tray down on the bed, I move to her. My gaze is the first thing to touch her scars. There are so many on her beautiful skin. She turns, allowing me to touch her back.

“Lighter burns. He tried to brand my ass after watching Practical Magic.”

I of all people know why women stay, but there are times when even I admit that I can’t understand it.

“Fuck,” I say hoarsely, my fingers lightly running over her skin. “If I could kill him, I would.”

Jaw clenching, I take a step back and lean over. Nausea makes my stomach roil and it’s all I can do to keep down the two pieces of bacon I’d eaten while cooking.

“Is it that bad to look at?” Her voice trembles.

“No, it’s that bad to imagine how you felt,” I say, breathing through my nose.

Get it together. Be strong for her. She deserves a man.

“The memories are worse,” she says.

“Why?”

“Because they show me over and over how stupid it was for me to stay.”

Slowly, I turn her around and take her in my arms. “You were not stupid. You were scared, and when we’re scared we do things that only make sense to us.”

Help me, mijo. Help me.

So much blood on her hands, on my hands.

“We do things so that we can survive.” I lift her chin. “Don’t you ever forget that you survived.”

“I won’t.” She touches her lips to mine and something inside me shifts. In that moment, I know that I love her. I know that she’s forever for me, but I don’t deserve anything in return. There’s no way in hell I can tell her how I feel right now, especially with the secrets I’m keeping.

But I can show her.

I sit down on the bed, bringing her to stand between my legs. I press my cheek against her chest, listening to the beat of her heart accelerate. Her hands come to play in my hair, nails lightly scratching while I breathe her in.

Sitting tall, I catch her eye and shove the waistband of my sweatpants down to my knees. My cock hardens, the tip shiny with precum. She licks her lips, then kneels on the floor, her head bending.

“That’s not what I meant,” I say, her lips inches away.

“But it is what I want to do,” she replied. “I’ll have you for breakfast.”

“Can’t tell you no,” I say gruffly. “I’ll feed you later.”

Her sweet, hot mouth wraps around me and I let out a harsh breath. Her playful tongue gets in on the action, licking the entire length of my dick. Grasping both sides of her head, I push her down farther, urging her to take as much of me while attempting to go easy.

She tugs at my balls, making me curse. The combination of her wet mouth sucking at me and the gentle pull of her hands is enough to send me over the edge. But I don’t want to come in her mouth.

“Wait.” I push her away and grab a condom from the drawer of my nightstand, ripping it open and rolling it on in record time.

Her legs part, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders as she straddles me. I place my hands on her waist, kissing her as my cock comes into contact with her hot *.

The head of my dick slides between her lips, making her moan. She arches her back, her beautiful hair falling all around her. It touches my thighs.

Slowly, she bears down on me, my erection sliding inside her with ease. As soon as I’m balls deep, she lets out the sexiest f*cking sigh I’ve ever heard.

“Feel good?” I ask, unable to string together more than two coherent words.

“Mmm-hmm.” Her hips start to move, a rocking motion that sets my teeth on edge. Perky breasts and tight nipples hit my chest, making me want to put one in my mouth. Letting go of her waist, I cup her breasts, bringing them together and licking both nipples at one time.

She cries out, her * clamping down on me.