Page 59 of Fury

“Don’t say another word.” Her hand swept my hair from my face. “Please.”

“How about, I’m real glad you fucking shot her.”

A weak smile flickered across her face. “Me too.” Her legs pressed around mine. “Keep going, Justin. I want to feel you inside me.”

“You’re all bruised inside, then you rode all day. I’m not ... I can’t...Shit.”

“I don’t care. I want you, I want you inside me. I want you to make it all go away.”

“Baby, you need to heal.”

“It’s you I need. You—”

“You’ll get better. You will. This will all get better. Not right away, but soon.”

“Wait. Let me talk. Let me say whatever I want. I haven’t been able to do that in years.”

I brushed her lips with mine. “You say and do whatever the hell you want, baby. You’re out of there. You’re free.”

“I’m free, but I can’t do what I want right now which is have sex with you. I’m free, but I feel trapped and I don’t want to be trapped.”

“What they did to you was a violent assault, not sex, not any kind of sex. That was a power trip, a form of torture. It has nothing to do with you, with what you want, how you feel, who you are, all right?”

She hiccuped, short breaths heating my shoulder. “I don’t want to be broken.”

I held her close. “You’re not broken, you’re not. And from now on, you’ll always be free. I promise you.” More tears came. Silent at first, then real weeping. She emptied herself. I’d bet good money she hadn’t cried in years. I murmured into her hair, losing myself in the warmth of her skin, her body clinging to mine.

The bathroom door slowly opened and the light switched off. Muffled footsteps. “Is everything okay?” Tania whispered. “Am I—Should I—”

“No.” I pushed my hair from my face as I sat up. “Her ex fucked with her, and ...”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry. Honey…”

Serena turned in my arms and held out her hand and Tania took it, sinking on the edge of our bed. The fresh scent from the soap Tania had used broke through and lightened the thick murk of misery and unsatisfied craving that was now plastered over me and Serena.

“It’s okay, Serena. It’s early days yet,” said Tania, her voice gentle. “You need to give yourself time. Both of you do.” She glanced at me and back to Serena. “Sucks, but that’s the truth.”

“What’s your truth?” Serena asked.

Tania’s head jerked back. “My what?”

“What are you running away from? Really running away from? It’s not your family or your home town. Not really.”

Tania’s shoulders fell. “I want to break out of my mold, but I haven’t been able to yet.”

“Why?” Serena pressed.

“I’m afraid. Uptight,” Tania replied quickly, her eyes lifting back to Serena. “I had a chance recently to step out of my homemade box, my tight little comfort zone, but I backed out in the end. And I regret not taking that risk.”

“With a man?”

“A hot man. Real hot.” She rolled her eyes and tilted her head down, a noise rising in the back of her throat.

Serena sat up straighter. The sheet falling from her bare chest. “You’re taking a huge risk now, with us, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. I have to confess, you two scare the living daylights out of me.”

Letting out a dry laugh, I reached for a cigarette on the side table. I lit up and sucked in deep, the smoke searing my lungs.

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