Page 42 of Living Without

Tears filled my eyes as I nodded against his chest. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t do anything but cherish the moment.

Would this Saxon last?

I wasn’t sure, but I could hope.

Maybe he’d woken up when I’d been taken.

Guilt stirred low in my belly. I closed my eyes tight and took a deep breath. Time was what we needed. I had to help Kelsey work her way back into the living.

I also had to speak with Jerimiah because even if things didn’t go where I wanted them to with Saxon, if I was strong enough to make it certain Saxon knew how I wanted things between us, I had to let Jerimiah know everything.

My heart didn’t belong to myself.

It never had.

It belonged to Saxon Black.

Chapter Fifteen

SAXON

She had been in the shower for fifteen minutes when I heard her emotions take over. She tried to keep it quiet, but she couldn’t and I knew, I just fuckin’ knew she would be sitting on the shower floor, her arms wrapped around her to try to contain her cries.

And she’d be doing it so it wouldn’t worry me.

I wanted to charge in there, take her in my arms, and hold her close, let her break against me so I could help piece her back together. Still, I didn’t. She was naked and, fuck, after what she no-doubt went through, having a man, any man see her naked would not go down well. Stalking to my bedroom door, I pulled it open and stopped still.

“She needs me,” Malinda said.

Malinda, Stoke, and Josh were standing out in the hall waiting. With a nod, Malinda rushed by, her arms full of clothes and other shit, and went straight into the bathroom. A squeal of shock from Nary and then loud, painful wails of agony slipped through the room before Malinda closed the bathroom door.

My head dipped, my hand moving to the back of my neck where I rubbed as my stomach filled with an aching need to go to her. A need to ease her torment.

“Shit,” I hissed. My gaze lifted when Stoke and Josh walked into my room.

“I know, brother,” Stoke said, his gaze hard, his jaw clenched, same as Josh. They were feeling it along with me. They sat on the end of my bed. I closed the door and put my back to it before I slid down it until my arse hit the floor.

Another loud shriek of agony erupted from behind the door. Then Malinda saying something.

Fuck. Fuck me. I placed my head in my hands and closed my eyes. My woman’s pain was killin’ me on the inside. My throat felt thick while my soul was being crushed. My stomach stirred up a storm.

“I’m going to kill him,” I mumbled.

“Not alone you’re not,” Stoke gritted.

Raising my head, I looked to him and then Josh. Yeah, they were feeling it.

“I want in,” Josh said.

“Josh—” Stoke started.

“No!” his son yelled.

“Keep your voice down,” I ordered on a snarl.

Josh’s glare swung to me. “He did shit to my sister.Mysister. I want to wrap my hand around that fucker’s neck and look him in the eyes while he fights for his breath.” He looked back to his dad. “You can’t deny this from me.”

“I can.” Stoke sighed. “Fuck.” He faced his body to his son, tagging the back of Josh’s neck and said, “This is somethin’ you have to live with for the rest of your life. Doin’ this shit can fuck a person up. I get you want to do this for Nary, and I’m goddamn proud you do. I just don’t like my kid reachin’ into the dark so soon.”

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