I step closer, my voice wavering. "Please go home."
He reaches behind me, unzips my dress, and pushes it to the floor. He repeats, "Get in bed."
I glance down at the red ink all over my chest. New tears form, so I dive under the covers and push my face into the pillow.
For a moment, it feels safe. Then the mattress dips, and my breath catches.
Brax slides beside me. His chest presses against my back. One arm wraps around my waist. The other tucks beneath my pillow as he curls his entire body around mine.
My voice trembles out, "What are you doing?"
"Sleeping," he whispers in my ear, his breath brushing my neck.
"Brax—"
"Shhh. Just close your eyes." He brushes hair off my cheek.
Something inside me cracks. It's a hairline fracture that's been there for months, finally shattering under pressure. A sob punches out of my chest before I can stop it. Then another. Suddenly I'm shaking,crying so hard my ribs ache. My hands fly to my face, but I can't stop anything. It's pouring out, uncontrollable and ugly.
I choke out, "I'm scarred. I'm—" My throat closes. "I'm so ugly now."
His arms clamp tighter around me. "Not true."
"It's true. Everyone saw. They all saw?—"
"Enough." His voice is rough, commanding, but tender. "You're not ugly. Not scarred in any way that changes who you are."
"You don't know what I look like anymore," I whisper into the sheets.
He grunts. "Sure, I do. I saw every inch of you tonight."
My stomach twists.
He murmurs against my neck, "And you're still the most beautiful damn woman I've ever seen."
I cry harder.
He shifts, turning me gently until I'm facing him. His hand cups my cheek, thumb brushing away tears that keep falling faster than he can wipe.
He leans closer, his forehead touching mine, and demands, "Look at me, Minx."
I can't. I sniffle hard.
He urges again, softer. "Look at me."
I force my eyes open. His gaze burns through the shadows, fierce and warm and agonized all at once.
"You're beautiful, strong, and beyond brave. None of what they did changes that. They don't get the power to define you."
Another tear drops.
He catches it with his thumb. He adds, "Think of it as your superhero symbol."
"What?"
He grins. "All superheroes have a symbol. It's like Wonder Woman's. And everyone knows she's the hottest creature they ever created."
I pin my eyebrows together.
