Page 16 of Brutal Mercy

But it’s his powerful ass flexing in his boxer briefs as he walks out of the room that churns heat in my belly. He’s got the most bitable male butt I’ve ever seen. It’s not flat, nor is it flabby. It’s something an enterprising woman could really hold on to. There’s not an ounce of fat on the man; he’s all hard body, muscles piled atop more muscles.

He’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. And I’m all twisted up inside.

With a shuddering breath, I reach beneath the hospital gown and pull my underwear down, doing my best to remain upright on one leg. Thank god for all those yoga classes on that app, or I would be on my ass.

And while I pee, I check out the bathroom. It’s massive. Large enough I think I could fit my bedroom in here. There’s a ginormous black-tiled shower enclosed in clear glass with multiple shower heads. It must feel like a waterfall standing under that much hot water. But there’s also a huge black marble tub that could easily seat two Hades-sized people.

My sex-starved brain immediately jumps to a vision of Hades and me wrapped up in each other in the tub, with me bouncing on his dick.

Fuck. What is wrong with me? I was almost raped and kidnapped yesterday. And today, I want to get all up in my rescuers business.

Oh my god, just stop. Why am I even thinking about him this way?

He’s older than me. While age doesn’t bother me, the same cannot be said for him. He could have a girlfriend, for all I know. A man that sexy and virile can’t be single. And while I may have spied lust in his eyes, it’s just a guy thing.

I’m in his home, and he’s seen me almost naked. Men like to look. If they didn’t, the porn industry would be broke instead of making billions of dollars a year.

I flush the toilet and rise, pulling my panties back on, then painfully hobble over to the sink. After I wash my hands, I call out, “Um, Hades, I’m done.”

He walks right in. Like he had been on the other side of the door listening. But he’s dressed now in a slick dark gray suit and tie. But I still blush at the thought of him listening to me pee.

Dammit.

He’s going to think I’m some silly girl who furiously blushes every time he looks at me. Jeesh.

He scowls. “You walked to the sink?”

“I had to wash my hands.” Because the alternative is just yuck.

Hades shakes his head with a frown. “You need to be more careful. The doctor told me you could do some serious damage if you walk on it too much.”

“Well, I’m going to have to when I get home. I can’t operate the store sitting down most of the time.”

His frown deepens as he lifts me and carries me back into the bedroom, setting me on the bed. “About that. My brother told me Diego trashed your store.”

“He what?” But of course he did. A guy who has no problem assaulting a woman in broad daylight in a public place wouldn’t be troubled by destroying that space either.

“I’m sorry. I will help you in whatever way I can. But from what I gleaned, most of the stuff inside was trashed. And he took the store’s safe.”

I lower my head against his chest and blink back tears. They slide silently down my cheeks. Out of all the horrors visited upon me in the past twenty-four hours, this is the worst. All the money the store made the day before is gone. That asshole stole it. That level of evil has always been beyond me. I don’t know what drives a person to commit such atrocities.

And I don’t know how I’m going to pay the bills now. Yes, the store has insurance, but I don’t even know how much the policy covers. It’s the original one Mom and Dad had set up for the store that I’ve simply kept paying on.

“It will be all right, Luna.”

I shake my head against his chest. “No, it won’t. Because now I don’t know how I’m going to pay rent on the store or my employees.”

“Look at me.”

Hades patiently waits to continue until I lift my teary gaze and our eyes meet. “I’m going to help you. I know this is devastating for you. But I promise I will do what I can with your store. And I’m going to help you get dressed. Your shirts are a total loss. But I’ve got one of my sweaters you can wear and a jacket. And I’ve got some leggings from my sister you can wear. Temperatures dipped into freezing territory last night, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

I want to weep over his kindness and his care. This man makes me want to lean. Hand over all my burdens and let him deal with them. “I’ll report the theft and damage to the police. And I’ve got insurance, so it’s not like I won’t be able to reopen the store and replace everything that was lost. It’s just a hassle.”

Guilt assails me and makes me feel horrible. Because there’s a part of me—a selfish part—that wants to just let it go and close up shop. I regret the thought immediately. My parents would be thoroughly disappointed.

“Luna, let me help. I’m good at handling matters like this, and I don’t mind taking care of it.”

Maybe it’s my extreme burnout and exhaustion, but I concede because I’ve got nothing left to give. “Okay. Thank you. I appreciate all the trouble you’ve gone to for me, Hades. Truly. And I’ll figure out a way to pay you back. It might take me a while.” Like the rest of my sad, sorry life, but I’ll do it.

---