Page 21 of Bed of Thorns

I threw back the covers, lowering my feet to the floor. Nausea swept through me, mostly from anxiety. Then I noticed the flower. He’d found another glass, putting the new stem in water. I reached for it, realizing my hand was shaking. As I brought the rose to my nose, I closed my eyes. Suddenly, wave after wave of sadness filled me much like the amazing scent of the rose filtered into my system. It was perfect, the petals opening slowly, allowing for a full burst of color.

A single tear slipped down my cheek. I rubbed it away furiously, almost dropping the glass. The feeling of being in a strange vacuum remained, my pulse rapid. What if he’d left and I’d never see him again? His last words of the night flowed into my mind. Why did I have the feeling he’d meant what he’d said and just what did he have planned? He’d been so angry, incapable of shoving the past aside.

Maybe I couldn’t as well.

I ached, but not only inside. As I rubbed my fingers across my arm, the same wonderful tingling sensations pulsed through me. His touch had been perfect, tender when I needed him to be yet brutal in his desires. He’d taken me to points of pleasure I never knew existed, awakening not only my body but my mind as well. I wanted to wake up every morning tasting his lips, feeling the hard ridge of his cock pressing against my back. I longed to feel the firm push of the heel of his hand against my sex, and my mouth watered to have his fingers sliding past my swollen folds.

A moan escaped my lips as I thought about the night, the unbridled moments of ecstasy.

Then the ugliness of reality grabbed at my mind, ripping me away from the beauty of the single pleasant memory, returning me to the ugly steel box where I’d stored my heart.

After carefully returning the glass to my nightstand, I got off the bed, my legs shaky. I quickly grabbed my tee shirt, jerking it on then taking several deep breaths. I had to know if he’d stayed. Then I’d deal with the aftermath.

I heard nothing as I walked out of the room, the quiet unnerving. There was no sign of him in the bathroom or living room, but when I walked toward the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee both turned my stomach and made me smile as well.

I found it difficult to cross the threshold, but when I did, seeing him in the early morning light brought another wave of flutters into my stomach. The shimmer of sun shining in through the window added a halo around him, highlighting his muscular frame. He was much taller than I’d remembered from before, his broad shoulders complementing his narrow waist and long legs. If he heard me walking in, he didn’t show it, his form tense as he stood stoically, peering out the clear glass.

I padded toward the coffeemaker, noticing he’d taken only a few sips of his. He’d even pulled a second mug from the cabinet, anticipating I’d want a cup. Every part of me was shaking as I tried to pour myself a full mug, uncertain what I should say to him.

The night we’d shared had been amazing, but it couldn’t happen again. I wasn’t what he needed to find happiness. I was nothing more than a bridge to a grueling past. He deserved so much more. Yet, I found myself longing for his touch already, wishing we could share another night of passion.

When I moved around the small island, I studied his intense frame, still fumbling to find the right words. After a few seconds, he turned toward me, cocking his head, his face expressionless. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking and that was almost as disturbing as the night before. There were so many things I wanted to say, statements I should make, but I wasn’t certain what I could say that would help ease his pain.

Edmond exhaled and slowly walked toward me. Without uttering a word, he slid the tip of his index finger along the side of my face, inching across my jaw to the other side. He followed the trail with his eyes, brushing his finger down my neck then curling his hand. It was as if my skin was scalding to the touch.

Forbidden.

“You are so beautiful,” he half whispered, the tone huskier even than the night before.

“Why did you come here?” I had to know what his plans were.

“You mean other than to see you?”

“Yes.”

He chuckled under his breath. “I have something that I saved that will be of use in the future.”

As far as I knew, the asshole who’d added his sperm to his mother’s egg had tossed out almost everything. “I think there’s a box or two left at Mom’s place, but I doubt you want to go over there.”

His brow furrowed as he hissed. “I don’t plan on seeing my father any time soon. I’m certain that’s what you really wanted to know.”

I leaned against the island, shuddering from the anger in his voice. “I don’t know what I’m asking exactly. Other than what happened. No one provided any details and what I learned after investigating on my own, I don’t like.”

He snapped his head in my direction, his expression darkening. When he grabbed both my arms, squeezing, I was shocked at the force he used as well as the twisted look on his face. He shook me several times. Coffee sloshed over the edge of my cup, and I almost dropped it to the floor.

“Edmond. You’re hurting me.”

“Don’t you ever do that again!”

“Do what?” I struggled in his hold, his hot breath cascading across my face.

“Investigate the case. Don’t you dare. They will hurt you. They will kill you.” As he shook me again, I couldn’t keep my grip on the mug, the ceramic slipping from my fingers. It shattered against the tile, breaking into dozens of pieces. I couldn’t care less. His breathing remained labored, his chest heaving.

“Who? Who the hell are you talking about?” His fingers dug into my skin, the pain biting. “Edmond. Talk to me. Please.”

Now he was the one shaking, his face a horrible shade of crimson. Then he pulled away, almost stumbling against the chair, immediately returning to the window.

I was floored. Not by his actions but by the meaning behind them. They. As in plural. I thought about William and his nasty words, the barbs still lingering in my mind. Had there been some kind of setup? That was exactly what it sounded like. I was trembling all over, my stomach lurching.

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