Page 32 of Her Wedding Night

Now the fingers that he used to work me open are bleeding, torn open from his violent slam against the bark.

He makes a wounded sound as I trace the side of his index finger.

“You need antiseptic,” I whisper.

He flicks his hand, lightning fast, and now he’s holding my wrist. “I need you to listen to me.”

My pulse races under my skin. “Your cabin is full of photos of me.”

“Because you’re beautiful. Because you’re precious. Because I took one look at my son’s obsession and knew as wrong as it was that I’d found my obsession, too. Because I have loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and I couldn’t help myself.”

“I gave you my virginity.” My voice cracks. “But you’re like a trained killer, aren’t you? That thing you did on the boat, kicking the gun out of Ethan’s hands. You could have done that to the others, couldn’t you?”

He doesn't answer. He's not denying it.

“You wanted me to think that you had no choice.”

“I gave you a choice,” he grinds out. “I will always give you a choice.”

“But you wanted it. You wanted to take my virginity.”

And he doesn't deny that, either.

“You didn’t give me a choice about coming here.”

“Because you were naked.” The words snap out of him. “God damn it, Lucy. Wrestling for guns is rarely successful. I couldn’t take that risk again. Not once they knew what I was capable of. As soon as Gilly went to the bridge, I took care of Forrest and I got you out of there.”

“When did Gilly go to the bridge?”

His brow furrows. “What do you want, a time stamp?”

“Was it before or after you came in my unprotected pussy?” I shove at him. “You big jerk.”

And then I start crying.

He pulls me into his arms and we sink down. He twists around, putting his back to the tree, and I melt into his chest, all out of fight.

“We’ll get you the morning after pill tomorrow,” he finally chokes out. “I’m sorry.”

I don’t say anything.

“I’m sorry about all of it,” he adds quietly. “I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t talk to you then. I didn’t want to scare you, and now look at you.” His thumb slowly rubs across the inside of my forearm. “My innocent little bunny.”

I press my face into his chest as he curls his thumb around my elbow, then works it up my arm.

He tells me about watching me, and then, haltingly, he tells me about the night he came into my room. He thought I was at a party. He wanted to check to see if Ethan had left any listening devices in my room.

“Did you find any?” I mumble.

“No.”

“Did you leave any of your own?”

A beat. “No.”

I lift my head. “Did you think about it?”

He doesn’t answer that.

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