Bronto's Revenge (Barbarian Lust, #2)(45)

Again she nodded. Inhaling sharply through her nostrils, she slid her palm against his. And when he laid his leg over the fur to hold her thighs in place she fought the urge to jump up and run. Although the pelt obstructed her ability to speak, she squeaked in fear and tried to swallow.

“Ready, baby doll?” Jade asked.

The pressure from Bronto’s leg grew heavy. As soon as Ivy nodded once more and clamped her eyes shut, he placed his lips on her brow.

“Make it quick, Jade,” he said under his breath. “Spare her some pain.”

Without any further warning the knife sliced into Ivy’s tummy. She squeezed his hand hard and crushed her eyelids together. Don’t scream. Don’t scream.

She dug her teeth into the leather and instinctively tried pulling her legs to her tummy but Bronto held them flush to the ground. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her shoulder writhed. She teetered on the edge of unconsciousness, wishing she’d pass out.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Bronto soothed as he placed an arm over her chest to steady her upper body. “It’s almost over,” he reassured her, kissing tears from the corner of her eyes. “Hurry it up, Jade,” he growled.

Long, torturous seconds later the excruciating pain eased. It hadn’t completely stopped but it was tolerable—until Jade began pressing on her belly.

Ivy whimpered, grasped Bronto’s upper arm and dug her nails into his flexed muscles.

“Just a little bit more, love. She’s removing the poison.”

Please hurry. Oh gosh, it hurt so badly. It throbbed as if she had a second heartbeat pounding in her tummy.

“I think we got it all, baby doll,” Jade said in a calming tone. “But I’ve got to clean it with peroxide. It’s going to really burn.”

Ivy opened her eyes and nodded. It couldn’t hurt any worse than the knife slicing her skin. But when Jade said, “Here goes,” in an apologetic voice and cold liquid poured over Ivy’s belly and ran down her sides, she tried bolting off the ground.

Bronto loosened the arm across her chest, giving her a bit of room to rise, and she slammed her face into his chest.

Mercy! They were killing her.

She released his hand and fisted his upper arm. She squeezed and squeezed, desperate to expel the scorching pain.

Jade fanned cool air over the wound but it didn’t lessen the sting. It was as if hot embers sizzled on her lower stomach. A dizzy feeling washed through her. Everything became a blur.

“Ivy?”

She heard Bronto’s voice but it was fading. Something smooth and cold was placed across her tummy.

“Ivy?”

The weight eased from her legs and she felt as if she were floating. Warm hands settled on the sides of her head and her face was gently tilted backward.

“Open your eyes, love. Look at me.”

His voice grew louder.

“Ivy, open your eyes.”

She struggled and fought and then her lids finally slinked open to a hazy close-up of Bronto. She blinked until her vision finally cleared and his handsome face came into view.

“Are you all right?” he asked. Though his voice reached her ears in a feathery tone, the skin between his eyes was bunched. A hint of alarm darkened his gaze and her heart melted.

She nodded.

He carefully removed the pelt from her mouth and lowered his lips for a gentle kiss.

“I’m finished applying the antibiotic cream and bandages,” Jade said. “Bronto, she should rest. Let her sleep for a while.”





Chapter Twelve


“Bronto, may I come in?” Jade asked from outside the doorway.

“Yes,” Ivy whispered. Sunshine fled through the entrance when Jade stepped into the hut.

“Good morning, baby doll. I thought you’d still be asleep.”

Ivy smiled and glanced at Bronto, where he lay stretched on his side right beside her. “I’ve been up most of the night watching him sleep.”

“You should’ve been resting.”

“I wasn’t tired. I’ve slept too much lately.”

Jade returned the smile. “That’s a good sign, I suppose. Do you mind if I change your bandages? They’re already twelve hours old.”

“No.” Ivy lowered the fur to the top of her thighs and raised the frock to her waist. “It feels better.”

“That’s good to hear,” Jade replied while she sank to her knees at Ivy’s waist. She gently removed the bandages and lightly pressed on Ivy’s tummy. “Does this hurt?”

Ivy shook her head. “Very little.”

“It looks good.” Jade sat back and relaxed her shoulders.

“Can Birmon help now?”

“I think it’s best to wait at least one more day to make sure the infection is completely gone.” She caressed Ivy’s arm with fingers as gentle as her eyes were compassionate. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Oh gosh no. “I want to talk about you and Rocko. It seems he’s no longer shunning you.”

“Not anymore. We had a long talk. He wasn’t upset with me as I thought. His silence and avoidance was his way of dealing with the rape.”

“Like I thought.”

Jade nodded as she applied clean bandages to Ivy’s belly. “Yes, you were right. He just needed time to accept what happened before he could move on. Much like what you’re doing.”