After today, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I can trust her with my darkest days.
With a steadying breath, I rise to my feet. I kiss Sawyer’s forehead. Then, wordlessly, I wrap Mercer in a gentle, one-armed hug.
“I’m fine,” he insists.
I tap him on the back and ease him closer. “Just let me hold you for a minute and convince myself you’re okay,” I whisper. I resist hugging him as tightly as I normally would. He’s injured, and—
“This wasn’t your fault,” he murmurs, cutting off the intrusive thoughts. “Just like what happened to Meg and your parents and Gran wasn’t your fault.”
I shake my head, heart wrenching, rejecting his compassion.
He cuffs my shoulder and holds me at arm’s length. We stand like that until I finally work up the nerve to meet his eye.
“It’s okay if you can’t accept it right now. But I’ll remind you every day until you start believing the truth.”
“Me too.” Sawyer sidles up next to me and takes my hand once more.
“Same here,” Tytus adds, standing beside Mercer.
Mercer cups my face. “You have to let go of this idea that you can prevent horrible things from happening. You’re an incredible man, but you’re not superhuman,” he teases.
Sawyer squeezes me around the middle. “I don’t know. He does possesssomesuperhuman abilities…”
Shaking my head, I ruffle her hair. I force a small smile, then straighten my spine.
It’ll take a lot more work—and a helluva lot of patience—to climb out of the deep pit of self-loathing and blame I’ve lived in for so long. It’s hard to justify letting go of shame for my own benefit. But I think, with time, I can learn to let go for them.
“Come on. Let’s go home.”
Chapter sixty
Mercer
This was a wretched idea. Quite possibly my worst ever.
But alas, I’m in the cuck chair tonight.
I threw the idea out there after a hearty meal, two pain pills, and several pulls from a fat joint.
“Comfy, prof?” Tytus teases as he prowls across the room toward the couch where Sawyer and Noah are waiting.
Comfy, I am not. But I won’t budge from this chair. There’s no need for outward restraints or excessive willpower. I know my limits. I can’t move the right side of my body without suffering significant pain. I couldn’t keep up with them. Nevertheless, I’m eager to see how this plays out.
Tytus was gracious enough to drag in my throne.
Oh, the irony.
Noah built another fire in the hearth, which is roaring at my back. Fresh snow continues to fall outside, flurries fluttering outside the bay window on the opposite wall.
Despite the dark, moody vibe we’ve set, no natural elements stand a chance of distracting me from the beauty of the woman before me.
She’s treating me to a slow, sensual strip tease—peeling off the layers of borrowed clothing she’s been bundled in all day and revealing her luscious curves, shapely hips, soft stomach, and gorgeous, suckable tits.
She’s a fucking sight.
Tipping my chin, I mouthcome here.
She responds with a sly smile, a shake of her head, and a slow, tantalizing swivel of her hips.
