Page 86 of Scar

“I take it from your surprise that that’s something new for you?”

Fuck. Neither of them had moved, and yet she somehow knew what he was feelingandthe cause.

It was Tally’s turn to squeeze him. Unfortunately, her hands were laying over his right side, and when she tightened her embrace, it sent a jolt of pain through him. Tally bolted up off of him. “Shit! Fuck! I am so sorry.” Scar reached for her, not caring in the slightest about the pain. It had already passed. He wanted her back on top of him. “No,” she protested. “This is why I’m not already on my knees taking care of you, Scar.” His eyebrows shot up at her bluntness, and damn if his cock didn’t harden more at the suggestion. “Are you insane?!” she nearly screeched. “You were just held captiveby my fatherfor over a week and subjected to God-knows-what, and you’re actually turned on by the mere mention of a blowjob?” Tally snorted. “Figures the one way you act like other guys involves your dick.”

Scar reached for her, cupping her face and pulling her back down to him. He took her lips again, craving their softness and wanting to prove that he wasn’t as hurt as she thought he was. She kissed him back, her hands gripping his wrists.

Groaning, she murmured against his lips, “Mmm, definitely not like other guys.”

Scar grinned, deepening the kiss. He stopped only when she brought herself back to him, removing the distance she’d placed between them when she thought she’d hurt him.

Lifting her head from his, she chuckled lightly. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re dangerous with your tongue, Julian?”

At the sound of his name on her lips, a low rumble rose from his chest, startling both of them. It wasn’t quite a growl and certainly not words. But it was anoise. Possibly the first that was more than a snort, cough, or sneeze in over eleven years.

Tally reached her hand forward, placing her palm over his heart. “You like me calling you by your name. Would you prefer if I called you ‘Julian’?”

Scar hesitated, unsure of that answer. He loved hearing her speak his name, but there was also something to hearing her call him ‘Scar’.

“How about this?” Tally asked, rubbing her hand against his chest. “How about I call you ‘Scar’ in public and ‘Julian’ when we’re alone? At least, that’s what I’ll try to do. I can’t make any promises that I won’t slip up on occasion, but I’ll do my best.”

She truly was amazing. Born without eyes, and yet she saw him so clearly.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she scowled without ire. “You act like you’re this mysterious person. I hate to break it to you, Julian Ragna, but you’re very easy to read.”

Only to you, he thought.

Tally leaned forward and kissed his marred cheek. “At least you are to me.”

* * *

Tessa gother way and Scar spent the remainder of the day in a private suite at the hospital getting tests and scans done. She didn’t even have to twist his arm because Tally told her they were going as soon as Tessa suggested it, and Scar obeyed to ease Tally’s worries.

Anytime Tally tried to apologize to him for what her father had done, Scar would stop her mid-word with a kiss. After the fifth time, Scar suspected she was doing it on purpose. He didn’t mind in the least. She could apologize to him for the rest of their lives.

He couldn’t stop touching her. Tally had to help Tessa with some procedures after Scar had reactedverypoorly when Tessa had brushed up against him. A part of him felt like such a nutcase because heknewTessa meant him no harm, but the other part of him absolutely fuckinglovedthat Tally was the only one able to touch him without him involuntarily recoiling.

Tally felt like a shield, in a way. When Tessa had to redo numerous sets of his stitches, Tally sat between his legs on the hospital bed, her back to his chest as he buried his face in her hair. Tessa’s hands were gentle, and she was expertly expedient, but it didn’t stop the feeling that she was using barbed gloves instead of nylon. Scar would have much rather done the stitches himself, but even he wasn’t flexible enough to do the ones on his back.

When Tessa needed access to his front, Tally crawled into the bed behind him and spoke into his ear to help keep him calm. The distraction might have worked too well, though. Scar had a very difficult time not sprouting wood at the promises she made of the plans she had for his body, so long as he behaved and allowed Tessa to do what she needed to do to ensure Scar would heal from his ordeal.

José and Bear were also at the hospital with them, though they were keeping their distance so they weren’t in Tessa’s way. It didn’t pass his notice that José kept staring at Tally like she was an angel sent from the heavens. If Scar didn’t know José was entirely and irreversibly devoted to his wife, he might have gotten pissed off at his brother.

Tessa did confirm Scar’s suspicion that he did not have any broken ribs. However, a CT scan revealed his liver was bruised.

“I’d order you to bedrest,” Tessa said when she finished giving him the results of his scan, “but I doubt you’ll listen.”

“He’ll listen,” Tally replied in a stern tone. “I’ll withhold my cooking otherwise.”

José took a step forward then. “Wait, Scarateyour cooking? You got him toeat?”

Scar scowled at his brother. Of course he ate. He just didn’t eatmuch. At least, not until he met Tally.

Tally’s expression was smug as she replied to José, “Surprised or jealous?”

José laughed. “A lot of both,” he admitted.

Tessa started speaking again, which Scar was grateful for. He did not like being the center of attention or the topic of conversation. The faster they got out of there, the better. “I also took a look at your shoulder.” She turned her tablet around to show Scar the computer image of his left side. “I hate to admit it, but the Primis doctors did a phenomenal job repairing the damage. I’d like to get you in to see a physical therapist?—”

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