His words sting, hitting a painful truth I don’t want to acknowledge. It hasn’t been intentional, but my sole focus over the last two days has been to find Jax. Nothing else has mattered. Guilt and frustration bubble up inside me, and before I know it, we’re inches apart, our breaths mingling in the tense air.
“Enzo, I...” I start, but he cuts me off.
“Save it, Lily,” he growls, his voice low and rough, laced with anger. “If you really cared, you’d notice what the rest of us are going through. We’re struggling as much as you are. You’ve barely looked at us the last two days. You’ve only talked to us to ask about Jax.”
“Enz—” I begin, but I don’t even get his name out before the tension between us snaps like a taut wire. His lips crash into mine, angry and desperate. The force of the kiss leaves no room for hesitation, and I respond instinctively, matching his intensity.
We stumble backward, colliding into the bathroom wall as frustration and desire consume us. My hands claw at his clothes, tugging at the fabric in a frenzy of need and raw emotion.
Enzo grabs my wrists, pinning them together in front of me with firm control. His grip sends a shiver down my spine as he uses the leverage to guide me backward. With his free hand, he yanks his shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor in one swift motion. He releases my wrists just long enough to unbutton his jeans, letting them fall before stepping out of them effortlessly.
Without a word, he moves into the stream of water. The heat cascades over us as he closes the distance, his eyes burning with intent. The shower becomes a blur of heat and steam, anger and need fueling every movement. Enzo’s hands are rough as they grip my hips, pulling me closer. Raw intensity and primal attraction pulses between us. His lips trail down my neck, biting and sucking, creating sensations that send shivers racing through my body.
I gasp, clawing at his back, feeling the tension in his muscles under my fingers. “Enzo...”
“Shut up,” he mutters, his voice thick with desire. “Just feel.”
He spins me around, pressing my chest against the cool tile, his body a searing heat behind me. His hands roam over my wet skin, cupping my breasts and teasing my nipples until they harden under his touch. A moan escapes my lips, echoing off the bathroom walls, mingling with the rush of water as our bodies meet in a collision of pleasure and pain.
Enzo’s hand slides down between my thighs, partingmy legs as his fingers find my center. He strokes me with an agonizing slowness, each touch both punishing and tender. I buck against him, desperate for more, but he holds me firmly in place, controlling every movement.
“Enzo, please,” I beg, my voice a ragged whisper.
“Say it,” he demands, his lips brushing my ear. “Say you need me.”
“I need you,” I gasp, my body trembling with unrestrained desire. “I need you, Enzo.”
A guttural groan rumbles from his chest and his final hold on his restraint snaps. In one swift motion, he thrusts into me, filling me completely with a single deep, powerful stroke. I cry out, my hands bracing against the wall as he moves with a relentless rhythm. The sound of our bodies colliding is muffled by the rushing water, steam enveloping us in a cocoon of raw, primal passion.
Each thrust sends waves of pleasure crashing through me, pushing me closer to the edge. Enzo grips my hips tightly, guiding my movements, his breath hot against my neck. He slips a hand between my body and the wall, finding my core once more. He circles my center, using my wetness to slick across the sensitive bud, building my pleasure higher with each sweep of his fingers.
“Come for me, Lily,” he growls, his voice a low, commanding whisper.
His hot demand combined with his deep thrusts, and slick fingers, pushes me over the edge. I shatter, my release crashing over me like a tidal wave. My cries of ecstasy fill the space, my body trembling as Enzo continues to drive into me, wringing every last bit of pleasure from me. With a guttural moan, he follows, the last thrusts of his release sending shivers through my already sensitive body.
We stay like that for a moment, panting and trembling, letting the water wash over us and rinse away the evidence of our desperate coupling. When Enzo finally pulls away, I turn to face him, my legs weak and unsteady. His dark eyes soften, the anger and frustration replaced with something warmer—almost tender.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the sound of the water. “I haven’t been thinking about what everyone else is going through. I’ve been so focused on finding Jax that I didn’t consider how my actions were also affecting all of you.”
Enzo sighs, running a hand through his wet hair. “I’m sorry if I was too harsh. We’re all scared, Lily. We’ve been down this road before, and it’s never easy. But we’re in this together. Don’t forget that.”
I nod, the weight of his words settling over me. “I know and I won’t forget again,” I vow.
Enzo reaches behind me for a bar of soap, rubbing it between his hands until he creates a layer of suds. Slowly, he skims his hands down my body, his touch firm but gentle. He pauses at my shoulders, massaging the soap into my skin, and I lean back against him, feeling myself relax into the solid warmth of his chest as he takes his time caring for me.
His hands move around to my front, lightly circling my nipples, then trailing down my torso. Stepping back, he kneels beside me, running his hands from my center down to my ankle in one smooth motion, then repeats the same tender motion on the other side.
This side of Enzo—the one without the snark and sharp edges, with his brooding eyes softened by affection—is someone I could see myself falling for. The thoughtcatches me off guard, and I clear my throat softly. "Thank you, Enzo. I can take it from here."
"Just let me take care of you," he murmurs, his voice low and gentle.
And so I do.
CHAPTER 4
FRAYED EDGES
LILY
