“Don’t want you afraid anymore. Want you happy. Want your smile and your laugh.”
His words vibrate against my fingers and it makes butterflies take flight in my stomach. I can’t stop looking at his mouth against my fingers even as he kisses them again. I shift on his lap and wince when my ribs twang reminding me that they took another hit even if it was to save me from a fall. Ryker’s expression goes hard again when he sees the pain cross my face and then with one powerful move, he’s pushed up on his feet with me still cradled in his arms against his chest causing me to gasp in surprise.
“Hate that you hurt.”
He growls as he carries me out of the room. I’m starting to feel self-conscious that he’s carrying me around and it only ramps up when he kicks open the door to the pool room. The warm humid air falls over me like a blanket as he strides across the tile and gently sets me down on one of the chairs near the hot tub. He stares down at me with his hands on his hips.
“I was going to soak after my workout. Went to get a drink in the kitchen to take with me when you fell. It will help your ribs to soak.”
My eyes go from the bubbling hot tub to him and back as his words process through my brain and then I’m shaking my head quickly.
“Uh…no, no thank you?” I squeak out but he just growls at me.
“Yes. I’ve had broken and bruised ribs many times. Soaking in the heat will help.” He holds out his hand to me. “Trust me?”
I slump in the chair at that. I do, I do trust him but…
“I, I don’t have a swimsuit, Ry.”
He grunts an amused sound.
“So? No real difference between a bikini and underwear. You’re safe with me, Avery. Trust me?”
Ryker
She stares up at me with those fucking killer violet eyes and nibbles on her bottom lip. I know I’m putting her on the spot but I want her to feel better and a soak in the hot tub will help with that. I drop my waiting hand and turn my back to her in hopes that will help.
“Won’t look.”
I grunt at her like the fucking caveman I seem to become whenever I try and talk to her now. The longer she lives here the more I want her for my own and it makes words hard for me to get out.
“O-kay.”
I hear her whisper behind me so I go over to the cart and grab a stack of towels and one of the thick terry cloth robes that hang from the row of hooks for her. I wait patiently with my back turned for her to get undressed and get into the tub but when I hear her hiss in a pained breath I can’t stop myself from spinning around to check that she’s ok. I see her slowly sliding deeper into the water with a pained expression and I move over to the tub, dropping the towels and robe beside it. I step down into the swirling water and even though I said I wouldn’t look my eyes are like lasers on the mottled black, blue and purple bruising on her side that’s just starting to yellow on the edges.
I have to work hard at not punching the tile beside the tub at the sight of the damage done to her. I force my eyes from the damage and sweep over the white lace and satin covering her beautiful breasts. I have to drop quickly down to the underwater bench to cover up the evidence of my hardening cock fucking beast, that I am. She’s fucking hurt! I pull my eyes away from those sweet mounds and up to her face that’s pink from the heat and probably embarrassment that I was looking at her like an animal.
“You okay?”
She gives me a small nod and looks away. We sit in silence except for the sound of the hot tub jets and swirling water and watching from the corner of my eye I can see from the set of her shoulders that she is relaxing, bit by bit.
“Ry-ker? I’m sorry. I’m sorry I fell apart like…that. I’m, I’m trying to control my…reactions better. Th-thank you for catching me and, and…”
She trails off, unable to say anymore so I just grunt a reply. She’s nervous and I hate that so I try to change the subject.
“Tell me…” I stop, take a breath and try to do better. “Please, will you tell me a bit about your life, from before?”
Avery slides deeper into the hot water like it will shield her from the question and I curse myself again for making her uncomfortable. I just want to know her better but it feels like everything about her from before she set foot in this house is off limits. When her eyes finally meet mine, I see her straighten up and try.
“My…parents, they died when I was eighteen.” She stops there and I’m afraid she won’t say anything else but my girl takes a deep, brave breath and continues. “I didn’t have any other family. I had just graduated high school and I didn’t…I didn’t know anything about how to go forward.” She swallows hard and her eyes lift to mine before sliding away again. “He…kind of swooped in and, and took, took over and…fixed everything with the house and the estate. We were married in just a few months and then Chloe came right away and then…it started and I was…trapped.”
When I see that she’s done, I try and keep my tone soft even though I want to swear and rage at the sick fuck who moved in on a young, grieving girl. She never had a fucking chance! I do the math in my head. Chloe’s five so that means Avery is twenty-four or twenty-five depending on when her birthday is. Fuck! She’s never had the chance to be anything other than a brutalized wife and mother. I catch her peeking nervously at me so I nod.
“But you got away. You saved yourself and her. You’re strong.”
She sighs and trails her small fingers through the foamy bubbles. Fingers that touched my lips so sweetly.
“I wish I felt strong.” Her eyes meet mine and her forehead creases. “I’m so tired of being afraid all of the time. I want to put it all behind me, be a normal woman, have a normal life. I want to be a good example for my daughter. I just don’t know how.”
