Page 40 of Vallaverse: Noir
“About something else.”
“No,” Pierce agrees. “I want to know, too. We need to know, Dana. I see surgical scarring. Is it something that will require future procedures?”
I sigh heavily and let myself sink a little deeper into the water. “You won't like it,” I tell them. “Neither of you will like it. But it happened a long time ago and there's nothing to be done about it now. I don't think I'll need any more surgeries, but I won't say never.”
“Tell us,” Pierce says.
So I do.
I tell them the same story I told the Alpha at the bakery, but I go into a little more detail about a few things, like how I felt at the time and the healing process and the long months of physical therapy. By the end of it, the water's lukewarm and there are two very angry men fogging up the bathroom with their sharp scents.
“That's …” Beckett starts, but he doesn't have the words to finish the thought.
“Thank you for trusting us,” Pierce says solemnly. “I'm sorry that happened to you.”
“I'm sorry, too,” Beckett offers. “Not all Omegas are like that. It's just – ”
“This city. It ruins people,” I tell them. “It does. That's why I started my business. I wanted to help. I wanted to make a positive difference. But Coburn got me, just like it gets everyone else. I'm just lucky that it didn't destroy me. It could have been so much worse.”
“Let's get you to bed,” Beckett says softly. “There's some oil and a heating pad with your name on it.”
I let them do most of the lifting when I get out of the tub. I don't feel guilty about it, either. I'm starting to really hurt now, despite the soak and the meds. Beckett towels me off and follows me as I make my way to the bed. I don't look back, but I imagine he has his hands up, just waiting for me to fall. I don't want to see it. I don't want him to feel like he has to take care of me. This is only a moment. Just one. I am strong and capable most of thetime. I just need help right now. This is just one single moment in time.
~
It has been a very long time since I had a massage. Every massage I've had has been either functional or medical. This is my very first sensual massage, and I'm not entirely sure if it's meant to be sensual. Even if it isn't, it's certainly having that effect. Every inch of skin I have is tingling in anticipation of the next pass of hands.
Both sets of hands.
Less than five minutes after Beckett started rubbing oil into my feet, Pierce started on my hands. I've never had a hand massage, either. I'm going to want a lot of them from now on and I made them very aware of that.
Beckett is working on one of my thighs now. Pierce is working on the other one. It's heavenly. But I'm about to put a stop to all of it. Their attention is beginning to feel a little too good. I don't know if they can tell or not, but I'm starting to feel a different kind of ache.
I remove my arm from covering my eyes and look down at their hands on my body. I shouldn't have done it. Feeling it without seeing it was bad enough. Watching their hands pressing and manipulating tight muscles, pulling skin tight and releasing it, makes it so much worse. Pierce's fingertips dip between my thighs to press gently against the inner muscle and it's suddenly too much.
“Okay,” I announce. “I think I … “
“Shh,” Beckett hushes me. “Be still. We're working here.”
Pierce's fingers inch a little higher and I turn my head to look at him. His hooded eyes are focused on where he's touching me. His gaze moves from his hands to Beckett's, and back to his again. A low purr starts rumbling in his chest as he watches and something inside me tightens. He drags his eyes away frommy legs to meet mine and the intensity I see in them makes my breath falter.
“Is it any better?” He asks.
I nod, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.
“Good.”
He moves his hand higher, just a bit, just far enough that his fingers slide against my pussy as they press into the crease of my leg.
“Pierce,” I caution.
“Shh,” Beckett hushes again. “Let him, Dana. He hasn't gotten to touch you. Can't you tell how much he needs it?”
“We haven't even kissed,” I tell him.
Pierce bends over me and kisses first my top lip, then the bottom. “If you need kisses, Dana, all you need to do is tell me. I'll give you all the kisses you want.” He kisses the corner of my mouth once, then slants his mouth over mine, kissing my lips again and again until I open to him. He takes my mouth as completely as Beckett did, but it's an unexpectedly gentle thing. He lets his teeth scrape over my bottom lip as he lifts away slightly and brushes his nose against mine. “Better?”
“Yes.” I nod, blinking up at him.
