Blair sniffed, the memory flashing before her eyes like it was yesterday instead of ten years ago.
“You don’t have to continue,” he murmured.
“Yes, I do. Benjamin found Clair and dragged her down the stairs by her hair. I was frozen in place. I...I was too scared to help my twin sister until it was too late. When I finally dragged my bitch ass down the stairs, he...he’d stripped her from the waist down after stabbing her over a dozen times. I hit him over the head and continued beating him until he stopped moving. In the end, it still didn’t save my CeeCee. She died before the paramedics got there. The only saving grace was he hadn’t.” She swallowed hard, needing to take a break. “That demon bastard didn’t get the chance to violate her in the worst way before I hit him.”
“Did you kill him?” he asked, the words came out as a deadly growl.
She blinked up at him. “What?”
“Is that sick son-of-a-bitch dead?” he asked through clenched teeth.
Jinx wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Sadly, no. He’s in a state institute for the medically insane. My lovely parents saw to that. They'd cried that they had lost two children; they couldn’t fathom losing three. I left so they could have their sick and twisted one they chose above all others.”
“Your family, or what’s left of them, are fucking idiots. Do they know where you are?” He pulled her back down, tucking her closer to his side.
“No. I emptied the inheritance account that my grandmother left me when I turned eighteen. I took the cash, bought a car, and just drove. When I needed gas, I stopped at a busy truck stop, paid in cash, bought food and snacks, and kept driving with no destination in mind. It’s actually easy to disappear when you have money and resources. I didn’t leave on a whim. I planned for five long years. When I graduated from high school, I’d taken enough AP classes for an associate's degree in business. I didn’t want to fuck up and blow my inheritance. My parents thought I was dedicated to becoming a contributing member of society. When I started taking martial arts, I explained it was a way for me to feel in control after losing my twin. They let me because they didn’twant to deal with my tears. Basically, I manipulated the shit out of them for the last four years I lived with them. For all I care, they can rot next to their son.” She let out a pent-up breath, feeling lighter than she’d felt in years.
“I’m sorry you went through that kind of hell, Blair. I’m glad you’re a fighter, though. I’m glad you’re here.” Viking ran the back of his knuckles down her cheek, making her shiver.
“Thank you for listening. How about you? Any deep, dark secrets you want to unload?”
Chapter Fifteen
Any deep dark secrets, she asked him? Viking held Blair while she slept, replaying her story in his mind. Her sick fuck of a brother still breathed air. He’d call Keys in the morning to see if he couldn’t find out where they kept the little prick and maybe orchestrate a little accident for the bastard. He’d lived way past his use-by date.
He closed his eyes, content with the knowledge he held Jinx safely in his embrace. He’d keep her safe while they slept, and when they woke, he’d work on ways to ensure her safety while figuring out how to keep her with him.
Morning came with a soft glow. Viking took a moment to appreciate the quiet when he’d usually hit the ground running. He looked down at the slight weight resting against his side, glancing down at what he could see of her exposed flesh. They’d kicked the comforter off at some point during the night, but he could see little goosebumps on her flesh, letting him know she must be cold.
He reached down, trying to keep from shifting too much, and pulled the discarded blanket over her shoulders. Jinx snuggled closer, her arm sliding over his chest. It was his turn to shiver. Need made his body come alive. Fuck, he’d woken her once in the middle of the night, taking her from behind until they were both calling out each other’s names. She fell asleep with him still semi-hard inside her. Viking whispered his love to her, but he’d been a coward, knowing she wouldn’t hear.
Jinx shifted again, her thigh sliding up his leg, bumping against his dick. He grunted.
Blinking up at him, she smiled. “Good morning, handsome. Looks like someone else is awake, too.”
He put his hand on her leg, stopping her from rubbing along his dick. She might not remember, but he didn’t forget the fact she’d been sore after their last session. He wouldn’t take her again until she took a bath and let herself recover. His dick be damned.
“He will be fine. Your sweet little pussy, on the other hand, needs me to take care of her.” Viking ran his hand down the thigh she’d stretched over his and back up over her ass. He gave her ass a firm squeezeand then skated the tips of his fingers through the crack until he could tease between her thighs. With his eyes locked on her face, he saw her wince the second he pressed a finger into her swollen depths.
“Oh,” she gasped.
“Yeah, oh.” He agreed. “Why don’t you go take a bath in that giant soaker tub I saw in your bathroom, and I’ll go whip us up some breakfast. I noticed you had an array of things in the refrigerator. I should be able to do a decent job of feeding us this morning.” He eased his finger out, taking care not to hurt her.
“That actually sounds amazing. Are you sure you don’t mind?” She pushed herself up on an elbow, looking down at him with big green eyes.
“I can cook two meals proficiently. Breakfast and anything on the grill. Trust me, I won’t destroy your kitchen,” he said, giving her ass a slap. “Come on, the day is slipping away, woman.”
Jinx shook her head, but she rolled away.
“Hey, where’s my morning kiss?” he asked, reaching for her as she slipped off the side of the bed, standing gloriously naked.
She held her hand over her mouth. “Not until I’ve put a brush with minty toothpaste to this yuck mouth.”
He flopped back onto the bed, chuckling. “Woman, I’ve licked your sweet pussy, and you’ve had my dick nearly down your throat. You think a little morning breath bothers me?”
Jinx stopped at the open door to the ensuite, staring over her shoulder. “Not the same thing. Bad breath is nasty and should be illegal.”
Viking let out a deep breath, then realized he didn’t have a toothbrush. “Hey, do you have a spare for me?”
