Page 33 of Beneath the Scars

Now it's the next day—probably, I can't see out the window to confirm and can't be bothered to look for a phone or watch—and Byron's steady breathing is like a soothing balm to my frazzled psyche.

While he gave his statement to the local police last night and gave his boss in Washington a debriefing, I managed to piece a few things together, but in the end, I think we both have more questions than answers.

Jayne told him that she and I were meant for each other, and when she trapped me in that hidden room, she also alluded to the fact that we shared a history.

But I still didn't know what about it was so similar.

Byron thought she suffered some kind of trauma at the hands of a man, maybe even a man that got away with it, seeing as she'd taken to a sick sort of vigilante justice.

But regardless of what it is, it doesn't matter as long as Byron keeps holding me like he is now, with his arms wrapped tightly around me and his warm breath blowing on my neck, reassuring me of his presence.

We still haven't made any huge declarations of love or promises of forever, but I knew I was very close to falling over that cliff with him, and I hoped there was some kind of future in store for us. He understood and saw me like no one else ever had before. No one other than a crazed stalker serial killer.

Thatis something else I'll need to figure out.

I'm struggling with the same sense of betrayal I felt when I first found out Byron had hidden his past from me, but even more so because Jayne's secret was so much worse, so much bigger.

I had grown close to her over the last few weeks and had felt a genuine connection with her, and now I am being forced to reevaluate every interaction I had with her.

"I can hear you thinking," Byron muses, his sexy, sleep-roughened voice sending a shiver down my spine. "In fact, you were thinking so loud, it woke me up."

I chuckle at his ridiculous notion and enjoy the rumble of his chest as he laughs with me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," I say as I turn into his embrace. "But now that you are awake." My hands trail down to his ass, where I squeeze the firm muscles before pretending to dry hump his thigh. "How about you prove to me how okay you really are after yesterday."

Byron's loud laughter fills the room before he pushes me back on the bed, covering me with his weight. We'd both fallen into bed naked as the day we were born, so it's a mere few seconds before Byron's hands find my folds. His smile turns naughty when he feels the moisture at his fingertips.

"Hungry for me, Lily?"

Instead of answering, I lick my lips and bring his face down to mine for a kiss. As my tongue delves into his mouth, he fills me with one smooth, hard thrust.

His body moves over mine, claiming me, showing me who it belongs to while our tongues duel for dominance.

It's a fight I know he'll win, but I enjoy stoking the fire and watching the flames leap into the air.

His hand comes up to my throat, holding tight against the pulse points. The grip is firm enough to cut off just enough air to push my heart rate up a bit and trigger my body's flight or fight reflex.

Byron swallows down the few breaths that manage to escape me as he continues to kiss me like he's trying to devour me.

Thrusting harder and faster, he pushes into me deeper than I've ever felt him before. Throwing my head back and breaking the kiss, I gasp for air.

His lips take the place of his fingers, and my body explodes at the feel of his teeth nipping at my pulse points.

I don't know how this man knows which buttons to push so effortlessly, but I'm grateful for it. He plays my body like a finely tuned instrument, making the most beautiful music.

"That's it, baby. Let go for me," he urges me as his hips pump into me sporadically. He's getting close, and I want to join him for a second time. Reading my mind, his hand moves between our bodies and zeroes in on his target, gently rubbing and coaxing another earth-shattering climax from me before following me into oblivion.

With ragged breaths, we stare at each other, Byron's forehead resting against mine. He holds his body above mine, careful to keep his weight off me.

"You undo me, Lily," he whispers, his voice hoarse and filled with emotion.

Unsure what to say in response to his carefully whispered confession, I tuck my face into his neck and urge him to lie beside me.

"I need to clean you up, baby." He moves to get off the bed, but I grab his hand and pull him back down next to me before he gets far.

"It can wait," I say, cuddling against his chest. "There is no way I'm going to work today, so all I want to do right now is lie in your arms and appreciate that you have a heartbeat for me to listen to."

"We can do that," he responds, tucking a pillow behind his head and grabbing a blanket to pull over our rapidly cooling bodies. "But we might want to think of food at some point."

"What about you?" I ask, finally making the brave plunge.

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