Page 65 of Dust to Dust

“I must’ve hurt you.”

“Never.” When he stared down at me, lust glittered in his eyes. “It’s me who should be apologizing since the simple touch of your lips made me want you.”

“Why should you apologize for that?”

“Because you’ve just been assaulted. I’m a bastard for wanting more of your lips on my skin.”

“Then I am too because I was thinking the same thing.” At the look of shock on his face, I couldn’t help giggling.

But when desire charged through his expression, my amusement died, and heat burned within me again. Dipping his head, he whispered into my ear. “Soon.”

A shiver shuddered through me at both his words and his proximity to me. After he eased me down on the seat, he reached over to fasten my seatbelt. He flicked his gaze to the bodyguard in the front seat. “You protect her just as you would any member of my family.”

My heartbeat accelerated at his words, and I found it hard to breathe. When I stared up into his beautifully imperfect face, there were so many words I wanted to say. In the end, I could only bring my hand to his cheek. Closing his eyes, he leaned into my touch.

And then the moment ended.

He jerked away and slammed the door. As the SUV started moving, I desperately wanted to turn to watch his retreating form, but my neck hurt too much. Instead, I stared ahead–my hand still tingling from the rough satin of his skin.

I fully expected to spend half the night waiting to be seen at the ER. To my surprise, a nurse was waiting on us at the front desk. Instead of filling out paperwork, I was ushered straight back to a room.

After slipping on a gown, I eased onto the bed. When I lay my head on the pillow I winced. Every movement was agony.

Mabry sat in a bedside chair while two men I’d never seen before stood outside the door. When I turned my head to meet her intense gaze, she gave me a knowing look. “You’ve been keeping secrets.”

I furrowed my brows. “I haven’t,” I whispered.

“You and Mr. Kavanaugh.”

Warmth flooded my face. “There’s nothing to say.”

Mabry snorted. “You’re the worst liar.”

“Okay, fine, we’ve kissed.” I was too exhausted for the level of conversation that would follow if I told her about coming during my audition. Plus, I didn’t want her to think I was some freak.

“From the way he spoke to you and held you, I would’ve wagered it was far more than that.”

“It’s not.”

“But it will be.”

Overwhelmed with the emotions from the evening, I replied, “Yes, it will.”

Chapter Seventeen: Quinn

When I exited the torture room shortly before dawn, adrenaline continued pumping through me. Even after I showered and changed, I knew I couldn’t sleep. Every inch of my skin buzzed and hummed. So, I made a strong cup of coffee and then took it upstairs to the rooftop terrace.

As I stared out at the city coming awake, I knew somewhere a broken and bloody Dowe was being given over to his family. Like I had foretold, he had begged for death, but I hadn’t given it to him. He’d been repentant to the last moment he could speak before he passed out from the pain.

The small sliver of humanity left within me went easier on him in the end. But whatever humanity I showed evaporated when I moved to Terrance. Like the truly black soul he was, he cursed and demeaned me until the very end. I didn’t care about his words against me. It was him calling Isla a dirty whore and useless slut that enraged the monster within me.

A noise behind me startled me from my thoughts. I whirled around to see Callum striding towards me wearing nothing but a pair of black briefs.

“Morning,” he grumbled.

“What are you doing up?”

He wrinkled his nose. “Caterina spent most of the night puking from the wain.”

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