Willing Captive(74)
And he does something gorgeous. Something I missed.
He smirks.
Oh yeah.
My man is back.
***
Two weeks later…
“Nox, honey, you need to get dressed. We’re going to be late. And we can’t be late!”
Sounding flustered, he just about barks back, “Working on it, babe. It’s just-” He grunts, then growls, and I stop what I’m doing.
This isn’t unusual these days. Nox told me that his temper spikes sometimes, and that I’d need to be patient with him.
And I am patient.
Walking down the hall to our room, I stop in the doorway and watch as he tries to put on his new prosthetic leg. This one arrived last week and is a little more complicated to fit. And I see it’s getting to him.
My stomach sinks as I watch him try and try, and get nowhere. Out of nowhere, he grips the prosthetic tight, rears his arm back and throws it across the room. Hard. It hits the wall, and the bang is so loud it makes my rigid body jerk. My heart aches. I hate that this is so hard on him.
Resting his elbows on his knees, he rubs his hands over his face and breathes deeply, trying to control himself.
I’ve prepared myself for this moment. And I pray that the internet videos I’ve watched are accurate. Or this will be super awkward.
Quiet as a mouse, I walk into our room and pick up the prosthetic. Making my way over to the bed where he sits, I kneel in front of him. Feeling me close, he uncovers his red and angry face. Upon seeing me, he softens. “Hey.”
Not saying a word, I take hold of the leg sleeve and unroll it. Nox watches me carefully and opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off with, “You spent months saving me.” Avoiding his eyes, I slide the silicone sleeve up the remainder of his right leg and whisper, “My turn to save you.”
I’m so careful not to make faces or noises. I don’t want this to be a negative experience for us. I want to be there to help when he needs it. Rolling the second sock on top of the silicone sleeve, I tell him, “You don’t ever need to do this alone. I’m always here, babe.”
Sliding on the prosthetic, I tell him, “Stand, babe. You have to walk around a little.”
Standing, I hear the first click of the pin fitting into the base of the prosthetic. He walks on the spot a few times and it clicks some more. Then it stops clicking.
Smiling up at him, I ask, “Okay?”
Face heated, he grunts, “Not okay.”
My face falls.
You shouldn’t have gotten involved, moron.
My shoulder slump, and I shrug, “I just thought-”
I’m cut off when his arms wrap around my waist, and he pulls me close. So close, I can feel something long and hard poke my belly.
Well, hello.
Looking up at him in shock, he says in awe, “You are the sexiest woman on the f*ckin’ planet.”
Flushing, I say breathily, “Oh.”
Pulling me even closer, he leans forward and mutters against my lips, “And I’m gonna f*ck you right now.”
Slumping, I sigh into his mouth, “Okay.”
I feel his grin on my lips, “I thought we were going to be late.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I mutter, “It can wait.”
Chuckling, he pulls me back onto the bed and shows me just how sexy he thinks I am.
***
“Shit! We’re so late!”
“It’s our wedding, babe. They aren’t gonna do anything without us.”
My eyes widen as I straighten my hair in the car mirror. “I have sex hair!”
He smirks, “Yeah, you do.”
Running my hands down my long, plain, ivory strapless dress, I scowl. Turning, ready to spit fire, I take a look at him and my mouth snaps shut. My eyes water and my lips quiver, “And you look so handsome in a tux.”
Reaching across the cab, he takes hold of my hand and squeezes, “What’s all this shit, baby? We’re meant to be happy right now.”
Sniffling, I explain, “It was one of the things I felt cheated on. When I thought you were- you know. I felt cheated that we hadn’t done any boyfriend-girlfriend things. We hadn’t gone grocery shopping together, or bought bed sheets together. And I always wished I’d seen you in a tux. And now I am.”
Swallowing hard, unable to control myself, I lift my head and I wail, “On our wedding day!”
Squeezing my hand tighter, Nox chuckles nervously, “Freakin’ me out here, babe.”
Releasing him, I fan my face with my hands. “Shit. Okay, sorry. I’m cool.”
He chuckles again. “No, you’re not.”
No. I’m not.
Pulling up to city hall, I see our parents and Terah waiting for us. Parking right out front, I exit the car and all the women rush towards me, talking animatedly all at once.
I’m lead away from Nox, and he lifts his finger to his head in a silent salute.
Rolling my eyes, I mouth, “Love you.”
Kissing his fingers, he places them on his heart.
***
Signing the papers has got to be the most emotional thing I’ve ever gone through.