My stomach clenches, and I have to admit, it isn’t pain that I feel radiating from the spot. No matter how I think, I hate how vulnerable I feel.
I should be strong for her, not weak like this.
Groaning softly, her hand drags lower before her fingers trace a slice against my ribs. Can’t even think about the injury when she’s touching me all on her own.
I can’t tell if I should tell her to stop or give her full rein. She’s never been this curious; this is new for both of us. Out of everyone in this clubhouse, she’s the only one I’d ever let do this.
Cautiously, she steps toward me, leaving hardly an inch between our bodies. Keeping her attention on my chest, her mouth purses together before her shaky breath tickles my skin.
I don’t move, frozen in place as I try to figure out what she’s doing. She’s never tried something so forward before. I don’t know what to do with it.
A shiver zips up my spine as she erases the space between us by brushing her lips carefully grazing the mark. She presses a single kiss to my old wound, and the warmth feels strange. Foronce, it doesn’t hurt. As her eyes flutter closed, I can’t help but wonder if she can feel my heart pounding against her mouth.
“Penelope—” Choking on her name, I take in the delicious pink of her cheeks.
A person so beautiful shouldn’t be real. I want to cradle her cheeks and kiss her. God, I’ve always wanted to kiss her. Every time I look at her mouth, I think about how soft it is. Even now, getting an eyeful of such pillowy lips against my skin is making the previous hunger feel nonexistent.
I want to make this mine. A voice in the back of my mind demands it. To take what I want, to finally get a taste of this woman. It’s a hunger I’ve spent too many years trying to shove back down, silencing it.
Already feeling my cock stirring back to life, I’m the one who has to take a step back. “We should go settle down. Tomorrow is a busy day.”
Her brows lift, surprised by her own actions. Pulling herself free, she cradles her hand to her chest and grimaces. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“Pen.” Sighing, I reach toward her, wanting to reassure her. However, before I can touch her shoulder, I notice the way her skin prickles up and curl my fingers, stopping myself from making contact. “It’s okay. It happened a long time ago. I’ve… I’ve forgotten all about it.”
I’m caught off guard by her frown. It’s like she can see straight through my lie. Is it that obvious?
“I just…” She sighs, looking defeated. “You’re holding back on us, Judge. Sure, maybe others aren’t picking up on it, butIcan. Seeing you in pain—” Wincing, she grimaces, “—it hurts me.”
Fuck. That’s not what I want at all. Not to see her in pain, not to be the cause of it. Hell, I’ve made it my personal goal to make sure she never feels that way.
“You want to know what happened.” Stating the words more like a fact than a question, she nods, and I sigh.
Only people who know about this injury are Ripper and Stacks.
“I’ll tell you tomorrow, how about that?” Grimacing at the thought, my heart jumps with her when she suddenly smiles. God, it’s bright when she’s really feeling happy.
“Really?” Her smile lingers but soon softens. “Thank you. I hate being in the dark. It makes me feel useless.”
“You’re anything but.” Clicking my tongue, I clear my throat when one of the showers shuts off, reminding me that there are people inside. As heat trickles against my ears, I jerk my chin toward the door. “Now, let’s get some sleep.”
I’m going to need it, at this rate. Then again, who knows if I’m actually going to be able to get any.
Once we make it, I’m faced with another dilemma. Sleeping arrangements. As she curls up on the bed without a second thought, I stop myself from following right after her.
Instead, I collapse at the frame, taking a seat on the ground. It’s not cement, but the carpet isn’t great. Good enough for what I have to work with.
“Judge?” Her concern is back as I feel her eyes.
The bed is too small. If I joined her, I’d be taking up two-thirds of it, barely leaving enough room for her.
“I’ve got no issue right here.” I rest my back against the frame of the bed. “Just try to get some sleep, alright?”
It’s not just the bed size that’s concerned me. What if I’m wracked with another nightmare? Sometimes I thrash, sometimes I wake myself up with weak sounds. I… I don’t want her to see me like that.
The back of my neck prickles as I feel the warmth of her fingers ever so gingerly brush my skin. Turning to look at her, I can see the worry already filling her eyes.
“If you change your mind…” Pausing, she catches her bottom lip between her teeth and hesitates. “I trust you, Judge. I know you won’t do anything.”
