Total pages in book: 170
Estimated words: 160166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Cross-legged and with my head resting against the wall, I let my gaze fall to the shadowy space where she’s concealed.
“How did you get yourself under there, my little pet?” I question loud enough for her to hear me. Exhaustion wars inside of me with every mixed emotion I feel.
Failure rings the loudest in my mind. Failing my brothers, failing her just the same.
All because I lost control. I was too weak to take care of her myself.
“I’m sorry,” she manages to say but doesn’t answer my question. She’s resisting my authority and untrusting. She’s terrified.
That’s how I told her to feel, isn’t it? Yet again, more evidence that I caused this. It was all in my control and then I gave it away. That won’t happen again.
I flex my jaw to dampen the sting from her slap.
With both hands resting on my knees, palms up, I tell her calmly, “Come here, Braelynn.”
Every second she hesitates anger stirs within until disappointment eventually settles through me. I have to remind myself she’s scared because of me. I did this to her. The only one I have to be angry toward is my fucked-up self.
“Come here, be a good girl for me,” I calmly command her, keeping my voice even and with a soothing edge. Time ticks by slowly with her mounting defiance.
Her sniffling is heard from the right side of the king-sized bed. “Please don’t make me wait any longer, my little pet. My patience isn’t what it typically is …” I swallow down every emotion elicited as the past forty-eight hours flick through my mind. “I’ve barely slept and I know you haven’t either.”
The floor creaks as she carefully starts to emerge from under the bed. Her large dark eyes peer up at me and the look in them wrecks me. Genuine fear and genuine sorrow leave no room for anything else.
Her lips are parted as she takes in short inhales, her shoulders shaking with each one.
I watch as the cords in her throat tighten and she swallows, just at the end of the bed, almost out from under it. Her breasts are covered by her long curly hair, tangled from sleep. Even in this moment, with everything that’s happened, my cock hardens and aches for her as her naked body crawls to me.
“That’s my good girl,” I murmur, focusing on her gaze. “Come here,” I add and pat my thigh before arranging my hand like before, in a way designed to make her feel safe.
She doesn’t make me wait long before pausing in front of me.
“In my lap,” I command her and she does as she’s told, fitting herself between my still-crossed legs, submissive to an extreme degree. Her breathing is anything but calm, and now that she’s in my lap, she struggles to look at me. She doesn’t lean against me and her gaze is glassy.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers and her voice hitches at the end. As she covers her mouth, I think to keep from losing it, I readjust, rocking my hips to tilt her into my chest, bringing my arms around her to comfort her. Her breasts press against my chest and I hold her there, running my hand up and down her back in soothing strokes.
Her relief is instant as she collapses against me, clinging to me like she did hours ago. I might be bad for her, I might terrify her, but I’m the only escape she has. She will learn that it is enough. I will be enough for her. “Shhh,” I hush her, resting my chin on her head as she leans her cheek against my shoulder. With a kiss to her temple, I hush her again.
It doesn’t take as long as I think it will to calm her.
“I’m sorry,” she says again, her body relaxing more with every passing minute.
“What is your safe word?”
She stills when I ask her, but she answers just the same, “Red.”
“I want you to use it more often … when conversations become difficult. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or in danger. At any point. It isn’t just for sex, you know this. You should have used it a moment ago. You know that, don’t you?”
She nods into my chest, but I pull her away to look her in the eyes, gently but with a firm hand. Staring into her deep brown gaze, I wait for her to truly look at me. “Tell me you understand.”
“I do,” she whispers and for the first time, there’s a flicker between us. Something raw and undeniable.
“Give me your hand,” I order, holding out my own. I don’t break eye contact and although her lush lips part and her chest rises and falls faster, she brings her left hand up and places it into mine.
“No, the one you struck me with.”
Her body tenses in my hold, but she does as I command. Slowly she maneuvers in my lap to place her right hand into mine. Our locked gaze never breaks, not even as I bring her fingers to my lips and kiss the tip of each one.