Page 238 of Screwged for Christmas

He was right.

But too damn bad.

She refused to open her heart for yet another person to trample on her love.

“Then why are you running back to an empty apartment thousands of miles away from anyone who cares about you? And on Christmas Eve of all nights?”

“Who do you think you are to lecture me on what is right and what is wrong? Just because I fucked you doesn’t mean anything, Damon.”

The harsh words tore from her lips and dragged a piece of her heart with them. She hated being like that with him, but he pushed her to the ledge and she either pushed back or fell into his arms.

She never fell. Not since she turned eighteen and finally had control over her life. No one would ever take that away from her again.

“Your virginity meant everything to me. I know what it is like to lose control over yourself, Ivy.”

She gasped. “It’s like you’re in my head.”

He took another step. “I understand the hurt you’ve gone through. Or at least a fraction of it. The betrayal of others. I’m not those people just as you are not the person who hurt me years ago. We both have a chance here. A gift. When you took me into your body and you clamped over my cock you took something from me just as much as I took your virginity.”

His words brought a rush of desire to spill over her senses and her emotions pinged like radar seeking the source of what affected her. “I’ll lose myself to you, Damon and I can’t have that.”

“Angel, you have it all wrong,” he ate up the small distance between them and she pushed at his chest, but he didn’t back down. “There’s nothing to run from here. Nothing to be afraid of. I would rather die than see you hurt.”

She pulled back and slipped from his touch. “Maybe for you, Damon, but for me… it took me years to find myself, and I’m still fighting to find who I truly am. Which ironically is now not even a doctor. Excuse me now. I have a flight to catch.”

“About that.”

She tightened her grip on her overnight bag.

“What did you do?”

“Me? Do I look like a man that would stand between a woman, anyone for that matter, and their happiness?”

“How the hell should I know,” she rasped harshly.

He studied her from beneath hooded eyes, and she returned the stare. “I thought you knew me better than that, by now at least. That I’m not some asshole dickhead.”

“We’ve known each other for two and a half heartbeats and a few orgasms, Damon. What’s to learn?”

“More than you could possibly know.” He took her bags from her and tossed them to the side. “I know you love sweets almost as much as my brother. I know you love the snow from the way your eyes light up every time you see a damn snowflake. As if it’s some magic fairy dust falling from the sky. I love that about you, by the way. The way you find such beauty in things I take for granted each day. I know your sense of humor outwits most of the hardheads around here and you have an ugly sweater to tease your sister with for every day of December.”

He prowled closer, stealing back the small few feet she’d managed to put between them.

“And,” he continued, “I know that beautiful brain of yours likes facts, so let me give you some.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her with a single finger in the air. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited. This ought to be good.

“Fact one,” he ticked it off on a finger. “I’ve known you for two days, but your sister talks about you so damn much I feel like I’ve known you a year. Fact number two, I knew you were mine from the first time I touched you. Fact number three, you take other people’s problems as your own and fact number four, and listen to this one very carefully, Ivy Kennedy, because if I have to repeat it I will do so but only as I peel every stitch of clothing from your body and kiss every inch of your skin until you understand me word for fucking word. You. Deserve. To. Be. Loved.” He drove each word home and her mouth grew drier the more fingers he held up.

“Sorry, I gotta go.” She could barely work the words from her dry lips, and the fear that dimmed the glow from his eyes killed her inside but he didn’t understand. If she stayed, how would she ever find herself? Maybe at another time in life she could have what he wanted, but right now she couldn’t be whole for him?

She leaned in, slowly, and pressed an angel soft kiss to his lips. Then she slipped around him and hit the back stairs.

Darkness greeted her in the few seconds before the backlight flashed on to reveal three sets of icy blue pale eyes filled with murderous rage. And pain.

She skidded to a full stop as a man closest to her, blood dripping from long gashes down his sides, roared from what she suspected was fury and surprise.

What the fuck? Bear attack? Instinct brought her hands up. Way up. “Whoa, guys, you remember me, right.”

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